Major courthouse facelift begins soon

Published 12:00 am Monday, November 29, 1999

The Adams County Courthouse will greet spring this year with a new facelift.

&uot;We will begin our phase of the renovation after the holidays,&uot; said Vickie Barron, project manager for the Adams County Courthouse renovation project with Waycaster & Associates.

The facelift will begin with exterior and interior paint, she said.

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The base of columns surrounding the courthouse will be repaired where they have begun to rust.

Missing plaster as well as water-damaged ceilings and carpets will be part of the interior repairs, she said.

&uot;All courtrooms are receiving paint, and the county courtroom will be completely refurbished,&uot; Barron said.

Many of the offices with wallpaper will have painted surfaces when the renovation is complete.

Supervisors decided unanimously Monday morning to have interior wall surfaces painted rather than wallpapered for durability and ease of maintenance.

&uot;I know that our maintenance department does not hang wallpaper,&uot; said supervisors President Virginia Salmon.

&uot;I feel that taxpayers will appreciate any modification to the courthouse,&uot; said Supervisor Darryl Grennell.

In the new renovation, Waycaster & Associates hopes to bring some rooms into one color palate, she said.

&uot;Many of the rooms and offices upstairs have a hodgepodge of colors,&uot; Barron said. &uot;It should look 100 percent better.&uot;

Barron estimates once the interior and exterior finish work begins, the courthouse renovations should be finished within 90 days.

&uot;Right now, Johnson Controls is in replacing the environmental systems,&uot; she said.

In addition to replacing old heating and cooling systems, Johnson Controls is also upgrading lighting within the courthouse building.

&uot;They’re getting new lighting upgrades – new lights, ballasts and lenses,&uot; Barron said.

Historical features of the building such as doors will be left intact, she said.

Work within the offices and courtrooms of the courthouse has continued while the renovation is being completed.

&uot;We work around them,&uot; Barron said, adding that some work that would interfere with work flow – like replacement of carpeting – is often scheduled after office hours.

&uot;We shouldn’t have to run anybody out,&uot; she said.