This beautiful colonial revival building was designed by noted Jackson architect Claire Allen and constructed in 1935 for use as an isolation hospital for county residents afflicted with communicable diseases. As with many Allen designs, Northlawn features many architectural elements not found on a “modern” building including decorative ceramic tiles with a pewabic pottery influence inset into the brick facade along with balustrades over decorative balconies and terra cotta clay tile set along the roofline. The interior has marble panels at the main entrance and features terrazzo floors throughout the building.

However, due to advances in medical technology and the inclusion of isolation units in the local hospitals, a county isolation facility became unnecessary and was eventually phased out in 1965. It remained vacant until August, 1970 when it was remodeled into offices for the State of Michigan Department of Mental Health and the County of Jackson Cooperative Extension Service. In 1974/75 the County of Jackson Health Department was moved into the Northlawn building. An 8260 square foot addition was added in 1992-1993 to bridge the former isolation wing with the main building. The addition was designed to respect the original building.

The Cooperative Extension Service and Health Department moved next door to the Human Services Building in the winter of 2004-2005. After the move outs, the building was re purposed by the Facilities Department to house the Friend of the Court and in October of 2005 they moved into their new home. The east wing of the building was leased to the Michigan Department of Corrections Parole Division in 2009. The Facilities department performed the build out renovation for the new tenant. The County of Jackson Prosecutors Office of Child Support is also located in the Northlawn building.