Roane County Courthouse Detail Report

 

Component

Current Status

Recommendations

Cost

General Exterior

The date of original construction for the main courthouse was in 1966, so the general exterior is in good condition.  There are two floors without a basement or an attic.  The total square footage is 16,125.  The exterior sidewalks are damaged and have uneven surfaces, (P81, P82, P83, P84)

 

The courthouse site contains a magistrate court building that is rented and there is the courthouse annex, which contains the county commissioners’ office, the EDA office, and the health department.

 

Exterior stairs and sidewalks need replaced or repaired.

Install proper handrails on exterior steps. 

 

$20,000

Exterior Walls

The exterior wall material is brick and is in good condition, (P85, P86, P89, P90)  

 

 

 

Windows and Doors

The windows are original aluminum, single pane windows.  There is no evidence of damage or wear to the windows.  The caulking around the windows is in satisfactory condition.  The entrance doors are aluminum/glass and the inside doors are wooden with glass/wire.  There are not lever handles on any of the doors, (P39, P67)

 

Install lever handles on doors.

 

Install bulletproof windows for second floor of courthouse.

$1,200

 

$76,000

Roof

The roof is relatively flat and was replaced about 15 years ago.  It is a rubber membrane with gravel on top and there is evidence of bubbles in the membrane due to the water leaks in the building, (P70, P73).  On the second floor in the break room of the Family Court Judge’s office there is mold in the insulation from the leaking roof, (P61).  The water is leaking down the wall and is being caught in a trashcan.  The trashcan was almost half-full in four hours, (P60, P62). 

      

Replace the roof of the courthouse.

$15,000

Fire Safety

There are no sprinklers or strobes lights in the building.  The building does have fire alarms, exit lights, and battery operated emergency lights in some areas of the courthouse.  There are two exits from the 1st and 2nd floors, but not the basement.  The exit doors swing freely.  There are two or more exits out of rooms that hold more than 50 people.  The door in the basement furnace room does not close properly.  The doors do have panic hardware.  There are penetrations through floor that are not fire resistant.  Fire extinguishers have not been proper serviced.  Stairways are being used for storage.

Install sprinkler system for courthouse building.

 

Install additional emergency lighting in meeting rooms and courtrooms.

 

Install fire alarm system in courthouse with proper strobes and horns.

 

Seal unprotected cable penetration in courthouse building.

 

Implement procedure for testing all fire safety equipment.

 

Remove all storage from inside the stair enclosures.

 

$45,000

 

$2,700

 

 

$7,000

 

 

$5,000

Structure

 

There is minimum structural damage to the walls.  There was a crack found inside a closet on a wall.  The floor was designed to hold the amount of records in each room.  The floors do not look to be loaded over capacity.  There is cracking in the lobby floor.  There are signs of settlement on the foundation, (P56, P58, P80).  There is water damage to the interior walls and ceiling of the courthouse, (P60, P61, P62, P64, P65)

 

Perform structural analysis of interior cracks in walls and floors.

 

Repair wall and ceiling of courthouse.

$3,000

 

 

$5,000

Security

They do not have security cameras, but have received a grant to install them.  There is a metal detector at the entrance of the courthouse.  There is bulletproofing on the judges bench, but there are no panic button. 

Install x-ray machine at courthouse entrance.

 

Install security console.

 

Install surveillance cameras at various locations in the courthouse.

 

Install 6-zone card access system.

 

Install panic bars with alarms on exit doors and courtroom doors as necessary.

 

Install blinds to replace curtains for security.

 

Install duress alarms below desks.

 

$35,000

 

$40,000

 

$9,000

 

 

$12,000

 

$10,000

 

 

$1,000

 

$2,000

Electrical

The building has fluorescent lighting.  The electric panels are Square D Panels do not have proper clearance space maintained around the perimeter.  Extension cords are being used in several areas of the courthouse.  Kitchen area needs to have ground fault receptacles. 

 

Ensure that all NEC codes are addressed throughout courthouse.

 

Install additional electrical receptacles throughout office areas to eliminate the need for extension cords.

$10,000

 

 

$5,000

Mechanical

The air-handling units are located on the roof and are made by Lennox, (P73, P74).  There are natural gas furnaces located in the basement of the building, (P41, P43).  Plans are being reviewed for a new elevator. 

Replace all original HVAC equipment in courthouse building.

 

 

 

$162,000

Work Safety

There may be a possible asbestos problem.  There are 9x9 floor tiles in some areas, (P67).

 

Complete asbestos study for building.

$2,000

Space requirements

The Courthouse facility does not have adequate space for storage or offices.  No agencies in the courthouse complex have adequate storage space.  The Magistrate court is housed in a rented building.

 

 

 

ADA

There is a handicapped parking space in the rear of the courthouse building.  There is no curb ramp at the sidewalk.  The parking space is not labeled correctly and the space does not meet size requirements.  The restrooms are not handicap accessible and do not meet ADA regulations. 

Install sidewalk curb ramp.

 

Renovate current handicap parking space and curb ramp to make them code compliant.  Install proper signage for handicap parking space.

 

Renovate restrooms on first and second floor to meet ADA codes.

 

Install proper signage throughout the building.

 

Install witness stand/judges lift.

 

$3,000

 

$3,000

 

 

 

$30,000

 

 

$300

 

$18,000

Subtotal

 

 

$522,200

Soft Costs

Professional fees, permits, surveys, and studies

20%

104,440

Total

 

 

$626,640

 

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