Clay County Executive Summary

The Clay County courthouse is relatively new, having been constructed in 1977. As such, the building has few structural problems. The building, however, does not house all of the courthouse functions. The magistrate system is housed in the old courthouse built in 1902 and is on the historical register. The upkeep is currently provided by the historic society. The old courthouse building is in poor condition and needs repair and restoration work.

The walls of the new courthouse are brick on a concrete foundation. There are a few cracks which may indicate some settlement. Some joints inside had insulation falling from the cracks. It is recommended that the cracks be sealed and a structural/ geotechnical engineer be consulted to determine if the cracks indicate continual movement.

The roof is flat, with a rubber membrane which has several bubbles in it and no walking pads to roof top equipment. The roof is original, 23+ years old, and as such, should be replaced. The windows are aluminum framed and double paned. They are in good condition. The doors are aluminum and glass and are in good condition.

There are two marked handicap parking spots; neither one is completely up to code. The one on the front of the building is on the street, with no room for exiting the vehicle and no ramp onto the sidewalk. The rear parking space has plenty of room, but does not indicate a $100.00 fine as required by state law and it needs boundary lines and an accessible symbol painted on the pavement. The ramp into the back door does not meet the ADA standards; it is also not wide enough. There is no signage in the hallways and the fire alarms have no strobes. The doorways do have lever handles. There is an accessible restroom on the ground floor, but it falls short of being ADA compliant. One bathroom has a broken stall. The stalls are not wide or long enough. The hot water pipes need to be insulated and the sinks need to have lever handles. The courthouse does have elevator access to both floors. It is recommended that the building be renovated to be ADA compliant, including ADA parking paint and signs, entry doors, restroom renovations, and hardware and signage.

The building has a fire alarm system, but no sprinkler system, or emergency lighting system. Each floor has two means of egress through fire-rated stairwells. It is recommended that emergency lighting be installed, as well as the fire alarms upgraded to a horn/strobe combination.

Security cameras are in place around perimeter of courthouse and in the courtroom. There is a metal detector located outside the entrance to the courtroom which is used in high profile cases. The parking lot has security lights. The building has an ADT security system.

The buildings electrical system appears to be adequate. The courthouse is lit by a combination of fluorescent and incandescent lights. The building is heated by several natural gas fired furnace units. The cooling is controlled by several condenser units located on the ground around the building. The HVAC system appears to be adequate.

The Magistrate system is housed in the original courthouse built in 1901. The original building is in poor condition and needs major repair/restoration work. Both the Fire Marshal’s report dated Aug. 2, 1995 and the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Security Audit indicate major renovations would be required for the old Courthouse to meet current standards for accessibility, fire safety and security. It is recommended that the Old Courthouse be fully renovated for office and storage space. Included in the renovation costs are all necessary upgrades for life and safety issues, ADA compliance, and cost efficient systems.

The total cost of renovations/upgrades is estimated to be $ 2,826,528.

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