Executive Summary
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The windows are still in good shape but double paned glass will increase the energy efficiency of the building. We recommend installing historic replacement sashes as the original windows deteriorate.
To meet ADA compliance, the following should be completed: Install fire alarms with strobe lights in restrooms; Install signage throughout the building; Install lever handles throughout the building; Install an elevator to access all floors; Remove the wheelchair lifts; they restrict the fire exit path; Renovate the restrooms to meet the ADA requirements.
The fire alarm system is manual with no detection systems. We recommend installing a new fire alarm system with horns and strobes, changing the door in the enclosed stairway to enter from the hall and to close off the door leading to the witness room, installing fire wall and fire door at the top of the old staircase, and installing a sprinkler system throughout the building.
The facility should have an entry-level screening using a walk-through metal detector and an x-ray machine.
All perimeter exit doors should be secured by installing an audible alarm, magnetic contacts, and a crash bar.
The door leading into the judge’s chamber should be made of solid wood and have an entry-control package. Duress alarms should be installed beneath the judge’s desk, secretary’s desk, judge’s bench in the courtroom and the table in his hearing room, clerk’s desk, prosecuting attorney’s deck, and his secretary’s desk. Duress alarm should also be installed beneath the Family Court Judge’s desk and the secretary’s desk. The judge’s bench and clerk’s desk should be protected on the front and sides that have public exposure with ballistic material. A closed circuit TV system should be installed throughout the building along with a security console.
The courthouse electrical system is old, but appears adequate for the needs of the building. Some general maintenance, including circuit identification, would help a great deal. The Courthouse is heated with a coal-fired boiler which has been converted to oil. The boiler is in poor condition and is no longer serviceable. We recommend that all the HVAC systems be redesigned and replaced as soon as possible.
The county is currently renting a space for the Family court and the magistrates are located in the basement that periodically floods. Space is needed to relocate and expand the court system. Storage space is also needed. We recommend building a 20,000 square feet annex and connecting it to the courthouse. Also, 5,000 square feet of storage space should be added.
The jail appears to be in poor condition. When the jail is no longer needed to house prisoners, the building should be demolished and new holding cells should be built into the proposed annex.
Total cost: $6,087,060.