Historically, the site of the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse was occupied by the southern portion of Collect Pond. By the mid-19th century, slums and tenements had been developed in the area, which had become known as Five Points. The area was redeveloped into the Civic Center in the early 20th century, with the construction of various city government buildings there. Just prior to the construction of the present courthouse, the site had contained the New York City Board of Health building.
