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Architect warns courthouse exterior needs major masonry work; restoration likely to cost hundreds of thousands
Summary
A restoration consultant told Steele County commissioners the courthouse exterior needs repointing, stone replacement and other repairs; initial estimates put masonry work in the roughly $600,000–$1,000,000 range and staff were asked to pursue phased bids and potential preservation grants.
A restoration consultant told Steele County commissioners on Feb. 4 that the county courthouse’s exterior masonry and some accessibility features need substantial repair and that the work will be costly.
Bobby, the consultant, recommended adding a toe‑kick to the ADA ramp, repointing brick and stone, and replacing deteriorated stone units. "That repointing of the brick and stone and cleaning everything up is about $300,000 to $400,000," Bobby said, and he added a similar order of magnitude for stone replacement. Taken together, Bobby recommended budgeting on the order of several hundred thousand dollars — roughly $600,000 to $1,000,000 for a comprehensive masonry restoration depending on the scope and number of stone pieces that must be replaced.
Bobby also recommended testing window caulking for asbestos, including window work with the exterior restoration if the project moves forward, and exploring HVAC alternatives to remove window-mounted air conditioners. "If we wrap the window caulking into the exterior work it would likely be incidental to the larger contract," he said.
Commissioners discussed phasing the project to fit available grant opportunities and to reduce up‑front costs. Bobby suggested phasing by material (stone first, brick later) or by building side and warned some restoration contractors are booked far in advance. Commissioners asked staff to solicit proposals from architectural firms and to return with a project plan and cost breakdowns to inform funding and grant decisions.
Next steps: staff will prepare a request for proposals for architectural services and a phased project plan, and commissioners said they will seek preservation and accessibility grants before moving to construction bids.
