Eight of the 15 courtrooms are for district judges, and five are for magistrate judges. The 10-story building has 515,650 gross square feet, including 166,800 gross square feet for underground parking. Building occupants include judges and staff, the clerk of court's office, pretrial services, probation, the U.S. marshal, the U.S. attorney, and General Services Administration building support staff. Construction costs totaled $58,760,960. Planning for the new courthouse began in the late 1980's when it became apparent the historic courthouse in Old Town Alexandria was too small and did not provide appropriate security levels. Planning to build the new courthouse encompassed such issues as site selection and consultation with the appropriate experts in courthouse design and construction and also involved a review of the literature on courthouse design and the experiences of other jurisdictions. Proper oversight throughout the course of the courthouse's construction was critical. Also of importance were teamwork, communication skills, and technical expertise.