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County outlines multi-year courthouse repairs and accessibility work; tuckpointing estimate tops $250,000
Summary
Facilities staff briefed commissioners on four courthouse projects — parking-lot resurfacing, rebuilding the west entrance for handicap access, exterior tuckpointing (one estimate at $253,000) and radiator replacement — and said capital-improvement funds and grant options will determine timing.
County facilities staff presented a multi-year plan for courthouse repairs and upgrades, listing four projects that could be addressed over the next several years: resurfacing the courthouse parking lot, rebuilding the west entrance to restore historic lines and add handicap access, exterior tuckpointing and replacing failing radiators.
Staff said the parking-lot asphalt work would cost an estimated $5,000 for asphalt materials for a resurfacing, while a concrete pad at the south entrance might add roughly $15,000 (estimates to be refined). The county has $60,000 budgeted for capital improvements; staff recommended considering the parking-lot resurfacing this summer and returning with firm concrete quotes.
On the west entrance, staff said removing a later-added lean-to and restoring the original entrance inside the building’s original footprint could be cheaper and more authentic than building a new lean-to. Staff are waiting for a quote from House of Glass on retrofitting interior doors with handicap mechanisms. If the retrofit is feasible, staff said it could avoid the cost of a new external structure and may qualify for state grant funding because it remains in the historic footprint.
Tuckpointing of the courthouse exterior drew the largest estimate: a company returned a proposed price of about $253,000. Staff said there are multiple technical approaches (full mortar replacement versus high-end caulking with sand) and that the county should research the best long-term option. Radiator replacement will be handled as units fail; staff suggested replacing an abandoned radiator near the west entrance as part of that project.
Why it matters: The courthouse needs repairs affecting public access, preservation of historic materials and heating efficiency. Commissioners suggested phasing work to match available capital funds and to seek grants where possible.
Next steps: Staff said they will return next month with final concrete and door retrofit costs from vendors, continue researching tuckpointing options and recommend a timeline for work that balances the $60,000 capital-improvement budget.
