Hardy County Courthouse Detail Report

 

Component

Current Status

Recommendations

Cost

General Exterior

The Hardy County courthouse complex consists of the original courthouse with an addition (P39, P44, P45) and a detached jail building. This report shall cover the main building and the addition. The jail building is a separate report.

 

The original courthouse was constructed in 1913. The addition was constructed in 1984.  The building is 22,320 square feet with both a stone and concrete foundation. The condition of the general exterior of the building is good.

 

 

Exterior Walls

The exterior walls are made of old brick, newer brick and stucco.  Some of the original brick band mortar is deteriorating (P25). The newer brick on the addition is in good condition. Some lower areas of the building have been covered with stucco. The stucco is cracking and falling off in several places (P30, P31).

Clean and re-point the brick on the original part of the courthouse.

 

Patch the stucco.

 

$68,000

 

$  3,000

Roof

The roof on the original building is moderately pitched with asphalt shingles. It was replaced in 2001. It appears to be in good condition. The roof on the newer section of the building is a flat, rubber membrane roof. The roof also appears to be in good condition (P16, P17, P18, P19).

 

 

Windows and Doors

The windows are aluminum framed, double paned and are in good condition but the caulking around the windows is old and deteriorated (P22, P34).

 

The doors are in good condition. The hinges are functioning properly and the doors swing freely (P5, P10, P13, P14). 

Remove and replace all caulking around the windows and doors.

$10,000

Fire Safety

The building has a fire alarm system but the fire alarm panel needs serviced according to a recent report performed by Schirmer Engineering Corporation. The report also found that the new vault addition is not connected to the fire alarm system. There is no sprinkler system. There are exit lights and emergency lights with power back up. The stairs are enclosed with fire rated doors and are free from obstructions. There is no storage under the stairs. There are fire extinguishers throughout the courthouse. The fire exit doors swing in the direction of the exit and are equipped with panic hardware (P5, P52, P64, P83).

Install a sprinkler system.

 

Service the fire panel.

 

Connect the new vault addition to the fire alarm system.

 

$52,000

 

$  2,500

 

$  1,500

ADA Compliance

The accessible parking spaces are located near the entrance to the building (P8). The accessible symbol was painted on the pavement but there are no $100 fine signs for illegal parking. There is a wide ramp with rails to the main entrance door.   The alternate ramp does not have railing on both sides. The entrance door is difficult to open. There is a lack of raised letter ADA signs in the corridors and on the doors. There are doorknobs on the doors throughout the building. They are not equipped with lever handles. The building has an elevator that allows access to all floors. There were ADA restrooms in the building. In general, the bathrooms are too small and do not provide sufficient turning room (P52, P55). They do not have lever handles on the sinks. There is no witness stand lift in the courtroom.

Install two $100 fine signs.

 

Install handrail on the alternate ADA ramp.

 

Install an automatic door opener at the entrance.

 

Install raised letter ADA signs throughout the corridors and on the doors.

 

Replace all doorknobs with lever hardware.

 

Remodel three bathrooms (one on each floor) to conform to ADA standards.

 

Install witness stand / judge’s bench lift.

$    200

 

$ 3,300

 

$ 5,000

 

 

$ 2,000

 

$10,000

 

 

$30,000

 

$18,000

 

Structure

 

There were no structural concerns noted during the inspection. 

 

 

Security

There are security cameras and monitors in the building (P43). There is a metal detector but is not used full time (P3). Other than the judge’s area, public access to all parts of the courthouse is basically unlimited. The courthouse has five entrances.

Entrance to the building needs to be restricted to one entrance for the public. Install entry-level screening using a walk-through metal detector and an x-ray machine.

 

All perimeter doors not being used for entry-level screening should be used for emergency exits only.  These doors should also be secured by installing an audible alarm, magnetic contacts, and a crash bar.

 

Duress alarms should be installed beneath the judge’s desk, secretary’s desk, judge’s bench in the courtroom, hearing table in the jury room, and the clerk’s desk.

The judge’s bench and clerk’s desk should be protected with ballistic material.

 

 

 

$40,000

 

 

 

 

$  5,000

 

 

 

$  1,000

 

 

  $3,000

Electrical

The electrical equipment in the building appears to be in good condition (P70, P78, P85). There were no problems noted during the inspection.

 

 

Mechanical

The HVAC in the building has been updated within the last 10 years and is in good condition.

Condensing unit (P9). Hot water tank (P65). Roof Units (P17, P18, P19).

 

 

Work Safety

The interior plastered walls in the older part of the courthouse are reportedly a health concern.

We recommend consulting a safety professional to examine the older part of the courthouse and to prepare a report regarding health safety concerns.

$  2,000

Space requirements

All offices have a lack of storage space and there is an increasing need for more document storage. There is also a need for more office space.

We recommend adding a 10,000 square feet building for storage of documents to meet the existing demand, to accommodate the increasing demand for storage and to provide more working space.

 

10,000 square feet Annex Building

 

 

 

 

 

$1,450,000

Sub Total

 

 

$1,706,500

Soft Costs

Professional fees, permits, surveys, and studies

20% of total

$341,300

Total Cost

 

 

$2,047,800

 

 

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