Clay County Old Courthouse Detail Report

 

Component

Current Status

Recommendations

Cost

General Exterior

The original date of the old courthouse construction was 1902, (P25.)  It is approximately 15,100 square feet with two stories plus a basement, and tower, (P72, P66, P67, P68).  The general exterior was in good condition.  This building is currently on the historic register.  It is used for magistrate court and contains two courtrooms. 

 

The building structure is in good condition.  The inside of the building needs major renovations. 

 

 

 

 

 

Exterior Walls

The foundation of the old courthouse is stone. The walls are brick.  There is no evidence of settlement of the foundation.  There is some deterioration to the stone foundation wall in the basement, (P35).

 

The building is in good condition, with no visible cracks in the walls.  There is some damage to the brick on the tower in the back, (P71).  Mold is evident on the back wall between the first and second floor, (P69, P67, P68). 

 

We recommend that the building be cleaned to remove the mold and the brick be repointed as part of the restoration.

 

Roof

The roof on the old courthouse is a pitched slope with shingles.  They were replaced approximately five years ago, (P70, P72).  The roof is in very good condition.

 

 

 

Windows and Doors

The windows throughout the old courthouse are original.  They are in very good condition with wood frames, thumb latches, single pane glass, (P43, P64).  The front and back entrance doors for the old courthouse are wood frame without panic hardware.  The front door is in very good shape, (P46, P47).  The back door, however, is warped and is being locked with a master lock, (P45, P51).  The side doors are wooden and are in good shape, (P48, P49).  The main doors swing into the building.  None of the doors in the old courthouse have panic hardware installed. 

 

 

We recommend that the windows and doors be replaced with period appropriate sashes and doors.

 

 

Fire Safety

The old courthouse had an old fire alarm control panel in the basement but it was no longer in service, (P5).  Currently the building does not have any form of fire detection equipment.  The only means of fire suppression is the extinguishers located by the exits and in each room.  

 

We recommend the fire alarm system be replaced and a sprinkler system be installed as part of the restoration.

 

Structure

 

There is water slowly seeping through the basement floor in various outside rooms, (P29, P30, P31, P32).

 

We recommend that the drainage problem be corrected as part of the restoration.

 

Security

There is a closed circuit television system in the building.  One camera is located in the basement and the other camera, with a viewing station, is in the Sheriff’s office, (P27, P28).  There were no guards, metal detectors, alarm systems, judge’s panic buttons or bulletproof protection located in the building.

 

We recommend the building be equipped with a security system appropriate to its use as part of the restoration.

    

   

 

Electrical

The main electrical service enters the back of the building from a pole-mounted set of transformers.  This service is distributed from a Square D 208Y / 120V, 400 A, 3 Phase, 4 Wire main panel located in the basement.  Some of the electrical service is being rewired.  It was stated that the lights dim when large loads are placed on the system.  There is a lack of receptacles in the employees' offices.  There is an electrical panel located in the main hallway that has exposed wiring and no front cover.  There needs to be a cover placed on it as soon as possible when an electrician isn’t present.

 

The interior lighting, both fluorescent and incandescent, of the building was adequate, but some light fixtures were missing covers, (P23, P40).  The lights in the building would also dim when large loads were placed on the system.

 

We recommend that the electrical service and wiring along with the lighting be upgraded as part of the restoration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mechanical

The old courthouse has individual room gas heating units manufactured by Martin Industries, Inc. with no specific date of installation, (P22).  All these units are in working order.  There is an American Standard Boiler in the basement, (P7), and radiator units, (P63), located throughout the building, which are no longer in use.  The gas meters are in good shape (P14).

 

Cooling is handled by six different window units located throughout the first floor offices. 

 

We recommend a new HVAC system be installed in the building as part of the restoration.

 

Work Safety

There was no asbestos report found.

 

An asbestos inspection should be completed as part of the restoration project.

 

 

ADA Compliance

The building is not ADA compliant.  There is no access to the building.  The bathrooms are not accessible. 

 

We recommend that the building be made ADA compliant as part of the restoration.

 

 

Space requirements

 

We recommend that the building be restored to meet the standards appropriate for a county building including current life safety codes, ADA, electrical and fire safety codes. 

 

$1,965,000

 

 

 

$1,965,000

Soft Costs

Professional fees, permits, surveys, and studies

20% of total

$393,000

Total Cost

 

 

$2,358,000

 

 

Clay Index Page