Braxton County Courthouse Annex Detail Report
|
Component |
Current
Status |
Recommendations |
Cost |
|
General
Exterior |
The
original date of the Braxton County Courthouse’s Annex construction was noted
to be in the 1940’s. The approximate size
of the Annex is 12,000 square feet and is four stories plus a basement, and
two small towers. One tower is the
elevator shaft and the other is the stairway access to the roof, (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5). The general exterior is in very good
condition. |
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|
|
Exterior
Walls |
The foundation is concrete block, (P6)
and the exterior walls are brick.
There is no evidence of settlement of the foundation. There is one crack in the exterior wall
located on the Southwest corner of the building traveling from the 3rd
to the 4th floor, (P7). Tar has been spilled down the North side of
the building, (P8). Water stains have occurred underneath most
of the windows on each floor, (P1). |
Clean
and seal brick walls. |
$20,000 |
|
Roof |
The
roof on the Annex is a low slope (relatively flat) with a rubber membrane
that had been replaced. No approximation
could be given on the replacement date, (P9, P10). The roof is in very good condition. |
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|
|
ADA |
The
windows throughout the annex are new.
They had been replaced within the last 4 years. They are in very good condition with
aluminum frames, thumb latches, and double pane glass. The front entrance doors for the Annex are
steel and glass with static panic hardware installed. The front door is in excellent shape, (P14). There is also a fire escape door for each
floor heading out the north side of the building, (P15). This fire escape is not adequate because it
is not covered. The fire doors have
panic hardware installed. The front
and fire exit doors swing out from the building. The
Annex shares parking with the courthouse. The main entrance is two steps and
needs a ramp to access the first floor but there is an elevator to access the
other floors. The
toilets do not meet ADA requirements. The
doors need lever handles and ADA signage. |
Provide
an enclosed stair tower in place of the fire escape. Entrance
ramp Renovate
toilet to ADA standards Install
lever handles on all public access doors Install
ADA signage throughout the building |
$40,000 $40,000 $20,000 $18,750 $2,500 |
|
Fire
Safety |
The
Annex’s old fire alarm system is no longer in service, (P16). Currently the building doesn’t have means
of fire detection. The only means of
fire suppression is the extinguishers located throughout the floors of the
building. There are two means of
egress from each floor. |
Install
a fire alarm system. Install
a Sprinkler system |
$5,000 $30,000 |
Structure
|
All
the walls of the building are poured concrete with reinforced steel
throughout, (P18). There is water damage to the walls on the
fourth floor located in the west side room, (P19). There is water damage located in the east
side room on the fourth floor but no pictures were available since the door
was locked. There is also water damage
and cracks located in the stairs the exit to the roof, (P20). There is noticeable sagging in the ceiling
of the fourth floor. It
was noted that there is cracking in the wall on the inside room of the 3rd
floor. This is the same area where the
outside crack is located on the Southwest corner. No inside pictures were available since the
door was locked. |
A
structural evaluation should be completed to determine the cause of the
sagging and water damage that is taking place on the fourth floor ceiling as well
as the crack from the 3rd to 4th floor. Patch
the plaster that has been damaged by water after the structure is repaired. |
$10,000 $2,000 |
|
Security |
There
is a closed circuit television system in the building, (P21). There are panic buttons located in the
Magistrate Courtroom and in various other offices in the building. There are no guards, metal detectors, alarm
systems, or bulletproof protection located in the building. |
Provide
limited access to the building with: Metal Detector X-ray machine Security System with glass breakage
alarms Ballistic material for bench Card Access System Alarmed exit doors for other exits |
$4,500 $35,000 $8,000 $1,500 $9,000 $9,000 |
|
Electrical |
The
main electrical service for the Annex entered the east side from a
pole-mounted set of transformers located across the street from the South
side of the building, (P22). This service is distributed from a Square D
208Y / 120V, 600 A, main distribution panel located in the basement, (P23). The electrical service is then distributed
to panels throughout the building; some panels have been painted over and
have missing covers and latches, (P24). There is also a small 5 KVA Wagner
transformer located on the 2nd floor in good condition, (P25). The electrical system is in fair condition
with over loading problems reported when excessive appliances (i.e. space
heaters) are plugged in. There is a
Kohler backup generator on the north side of the building for the 911
office. This generator is good condition
and is functioning properly. The
interior lighting (fluorescent and incandescent) in the building is adequate
with no reported problems. There are
battery backup emergency lights located throughout the building. There are exit lights located at the exits
but do not light up properly. |
Upgrade
the electrical service to meet the current needs of the facility. Repair/replace exit lights as
required. Replace lights as
required. Install locking electrical
boxes and switches in the hall and courtroom. |
$96,000 |
|
Mechanical |
The
Annex has a Burnham gas-fired boiler, (P27)
located in the basement with one Barber Colman air handler located on each
floor. The boiler has excessive rust on the top of
the casing but otherwise is in good operating condition. Cooling
is handled by a Marley Cooling tower (which appears to be leaking) on the
roof with a Technical System chiller in the basement in good operating
condition. There was a Carrier window
unit cooling the 911 office. This
window unit was in good condition and in operating order. |
There
are a couple of window A/C units, which indicate that the building air
conditioning system is not adequate.
There is also a concern that the cooling tower may be the cause of the
sagging 4th floor ceiling.
Revise the Building cooling system to eliminate the cooling tower on
the roof and eliminate the window units. |
$85,000 |
|
Work
Safety |
The
main electrical panel located in the basement requires blanks to be installed
in the breaker openings, (P23). Several electrical panels are missing doors
and proper locking hardware. |
|
|
|
Space
requirements |
These
issues are covered under the courthouse detail report. |
|
|
|
Sub
Total |
|
|
$436,250 |
|
Soft
Costs |
Professional
fees, permits, surveys, and studies |
20%
of total |
$87,250 |
|
Total
Cost |
|
|
$523,500 |
