Work continues on historic courthouse
Future projects likely to focus on interior of 1880s Troy building.
As work continues on
TROY — the highly visible Miami County Courthouse Plaza Renovation project, some eyes are turning toward future work on the 1880s building itself.
The last major renovation of the Courthouse was in the late 1990s when work focused on the restoration of the roof statutes along with rooftop and stone work, said Chris Johnson, county operations and facilities director.
The next project likely will focus more on the interior, including work in the large courtroom on the third floor, painting, plaster work and painting of ornate features inside.
Consultants hired to go over the historic Miami County Courthouse with what Johnson described as “a fine-tooth comb” will present their in-depth findings soon. The analysis is being done by Garmann-Miller consultants of Minster who will discuss short- and longer- term projects.
Near term items could cost
around $1.8 million with long term items that would probably elevate the cost to more than $5 million. “This is a full report of the next decade’s recommendations. I could potentially see project happening during the next 10 years annually as budget dollars allow versus one large scale restoration,” Johnson said, emphasizing that is his opinion only at this time.
As the commissioners await the report and discussions, the county is moving forward with a first floor Courthouse windows project approved earlier this month by county commissioners.
Commissioners agreed to a contract for an exterior first floor window and door painting project designed to help reduce water penetration and extend the life of the windows.
The contract with Brian Brothers Painting and Restoration LLC of Piqua is for up to $6,900 to caulk and paint 32 window frames and three exterior wood doors.
This work will go along with Courthouse foundation stones waterproofing that was done as part of the ongoing more than $3 million plaza renovations project. Currently there is a lot of water penetrating through the window areas, causing interior plaster damage, Johnson said.
All windows in the threestory Courthouse eventually will need replaced but this project — along with possible future ones on the second and third floors — would help delay the need for those replacements possibly by a decade, Johnson said.
One job expected to be part of the interior renovations was expedited to this year because of damage attributed to a Jan. 11 tornado that moved through downtown Troy. That work was to stained glass in the third-floor courtroom ceiling. The stained glass shifted in its frame due to air pressure, but didn’t break.
The commissioners agreed in February to pay $28,790 removing the glass panels, restoring them and repositioning them in the frame.
The stained glass was scheduled to be put back in place this month.