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The historic 1824 building has been fully restored and now serves as the main entrance to the courthouse. This front section houses a variety of offices including the wedding room, Licensing Department, attorney's lounge and the Historic Courtroom #1 located on the second floor. A courthouse museum is also planned inside the main entrance. One of the biggest differences in the new courthouse is the look and feel of the courtrooms. Each courtroom is well-lighted and more spacious to allow for a better flow of people who are involved in the case - be it litigants, attorneys, staff, judges or jurors. Each courtroom is also equipped with the latest technology and equipment for evidence presentation - allowing all parties in the room to view information and displays simultaneously. The new portion of the building is a dramatic change from the old courthouse structure. Hallway galleries are wide and open to the surrounding neighborhood and sky with glass walls and ceilings. During the planning stages, these galleries were often referred to as "invisible walls" and they truly give that impression. Visitors can stand in the rear of the building near the courtrooms and see the surrounding neighborhood on Church Circle, South Street and Franklin Street at the same time. Probably the most impressive architectural accomplishment is the "stepped back" nature of the building's exterior. Planning such a large structure within the Historic District of downtown Annapolis was no small accomplishment. With assistance from the Historic Annapolis Foundation, building designers were given the unique challenge of making the courthouse fit in with the nature of the local neighborhood. Each floor steps back as it goes up, decreasing the feeling of density. Standing on Church Circle, one can hardly see the 240,000 s.f. addition as it slopes downward with the landscape. Visitors to Annapolis see the historic 1824 courthouse as it has been seen for nearly 180 years - unobstructed by the addition.
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