SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The Roderick Ireland Courthouse is linked to serious health concerns. Five courthouse employees have died of ALS and 60 more have developed cancer. State officials voted Tuesday to approve plans for a new building after years of complaints. The process for constructing the new courthouse will include bidding from developers to work on the project. Springfield task force helps homeless population with winter resources The City of Springfield will then lease the building from the developer for at least 40 years. Springfield's Mayor Domenic Sarno is pushing for the courthouse to be located in the North Riverfront area. Sarno said in a statement to 22News, "I appreciate and thank the Board for their vote and I am glad the process to build a new state of the art Roderick Ireland Court House is moving forward." Some officials are expressing concern that the bidding process to select a developer may be unfair, as multiple public officials have expressed interest in the North Riverfront site. As a result, the Asset Management Board's Decision was not unanimous--Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro was the sole no vote. "I think that the public statements certainly have a chilling effect on competition and could have an impact on other developers," Shapiro said. The Inspector General emphasized that a new courthouse is necessary, but the state needs to be careful about how they partner with developers. Regardless of where it's located, under this plan, the Courthouse is expected to be finished in three to four years. Local News Headlines Governor Healey unveils $59 billion 2026 budget Officials approve new Springfield courthouse plans Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant to benefit local fire departments Springfield task force helps homeless population with winter resources WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.