Monongalia County Courthouse Detail Report

 

Component

Current Status

Recommendations

Cost

General Exterior

The courthouse was built in 1890 and is on the historic register.  The building is three stories plus a basement and an attic.  It is approximately 65,500 sq ft, including (P57, P58, P60).  The overall condition of the general exterior is fair to good.

 

There is an annex and a detached jail/sheriff’s office on the complex as well.

 

 

 

Exterior Walls

The exterior walls are brick and they do have some mortar missing, (P70).  There are also bricks missing in the bell tower, (P52).

 

Repair the bell tower.  Clean, re-point and seal the brick on the older section of the courthouse.

$80,000

Roof

 The metal roof is in good condition, (P30).

 

 

 

Windows and Doors

The window material is aluminum, (P63, P68).  The windows are single glazed and the age is unknown.  They are in good condition.

 

The doors are made from aluminum and glass, metal, and wood (P62).  There is no corrosion or damage to the doors.

 

 

 

Fire Safety

The fire alarm system has manual pull boxes, smoke detectors, and heat detectors in the courthouse.  It is equipped with both horns and strobe lights.  They have an ADT annunicator panel, (P5, P42).  There are no sprinklers, or working battery operated emergency lights.  There are not enough exit lights.  The stairs are enclosed by fire rated doors.  The courtrooms have only one public exit.

Install sprinklers.

 

Install additional exit lights and emergency lights.

 

Install an additional public exit door in each courtroom.

$140,000

 

$15,000

 

$6,000

Structure

 

The wall and floor structure of the building is concrete.  There were no noticeable cracks or damage to the floor.

 

 

Security

The courthouse does have a security alarm system, but there are no metal detectors at the entrance doors.  There is a closed circuit television system.  There is metal detector at the entrance doors into a courtroom.  The judges have panic buttons and bulletproof material built into the benches in the courtrooms.

 

Provide a controlled entry point for the building by installing the following:

     X-ray machine

     Card access reader for other entries

     Alarmed exit doors for other entries

     Move the metal detector to the front door

 

Install window alarms on all lower level windows.

 

Install additional duress alarms for the clerks’ offices and others as necessary.

 

Install a security console to be monitored by security personnel.

 

 

 

$35,000

$12,000

$9,000

 

 

$3,000

 

$1,000

 

 

$40,000

Electrical

The electricity enters the building overhead.  The circuit boxes are in good condition, (P2, P6, P7).  The electrical service to the building appears to be adequate.

 

 

 

Mechanical

There are six American Standard gas fired boilers staged to provide heating.  There is a Trane air handler, (P1), and a chiller (P28).  The courtroom has a separate air handler, (P35).  A new chiller and a computerized control system were installed within the past 10 years.  These systems appear to be adequate.

 

 

 

Work Safety

No work safety problems were noted.

 

 

 

ADA Compliance

There is at least one accessible parking space, (P46), but it does not meet all the space dimensions.  The ramp has the correct slope but it does not have the handrails extending beyond the ramp or on the building side, (P45).  There is no ADA signage on the walls and the signage does not have raised letters or Braille.  There are level handles on the doors.  There are handicap restrooms on the 1st floor, (P38, P39, P40).  There is no lift for the judges’ benches and witness stands.

 

Install handrails on the building side of the ramp and extend handrails as required by the ADA.

 

Provide the proper ADA signage throughout the building.

 

Install a lift for the judge’s bench and witness stand in at least one courtroom.

 

Provide ramps to the jury boxes as necessary.

$100

 

 

$2,000

 

 

$18,000

 

 

$3,000

Space requirements

There is a need for additional storage and office space. 

We recommend demolishing the jail and building a new 50,000 square foot Judicial Annex

$7,250,000

Subtotal Cost

 

 

$7,614,100

Soft Costs

Professional fees, permits, surveys, and studies

20%

$1,522,820

Total

 

 

$9,136,920

 

 

Monongalia Index Page