VIDALIA — The Concordia Parish courthouse will see nearly a half-million dollars in upgrades before summer’s end.

The Concordia Parish Police Jury has sought to renovate the courtroom for more than two years, but this week officially approved an agreement that will allow them to receive $420,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office.

The grant requires a 20 percent match from the parish, Police Jury President Melvin Ferrington said, which was already incorporated into the police jury’s budget.

“We have right at $100,000 in our budget for our match, whatever it will be, and we secured the grant because we were angled to provide the match,” he said.

The biggest item the renovations will cover will include the addition of a second elevator in the courthouse.

Plans currently place the new elevator directly to the left of the double-doors in the front of the courthouse, behind the circular reception desk.

“When they built this courthouse, they didn’t put the elevator in the front of the courthouse,” Ferrington said. “They put the handicapped ramp in, but there was no way for handicapped people to go up (to the second floor).”

The courthouse has one elevator, which can be accessed from the entrance to the Concordia Parish jail lobby at the rear of the courthouse.

“The building has needed two elevators,” Ferrington said.

The courtroom renovations will include replacing the seating in the audience and jury pool sections, replacing the carpet and updating security systems and lighting.

“It will brighten (the courtroom) up some,” Ferrington said. “It will make it a good deal better.”

Architect Bill Brocato is doing the architectural work and will advertise the project for bids after the jury meets with the Seventh Judicial District judges next week, Ferrington said, and the jury hopes the work will be completed by mid-to-late summer.