GILMER 性视界传媒 The last time substantial remodeling work was done at the Upshur County Courthouse, the Watergate scandal was fresh on the minds of Americans.
The average price of gas was about 53 cents per gallon, and Paper Lace性视界传媒檚 song 性视界传媒淭he Night Chicago Died性视界传媒 was riding the nation性视界传媒檚 radio waves.
It was 1974. Now, 50 years later, construction is underway once again at the county性视界传媒檚 historic headquarters thanks in part to a long-sought-after grant from the Texas Historical Commission性视界传媒檚 Courthouse Preservation Program.
In a Tuesday letter from the historical commission, officials gave formal approval for construction work to begin. Workers with J.C. Stoddard Construction, the firm hired to restore the building to its original 1933 appearance, already have begun dismantling wooden pews in the courtroom and putting protective material over interior granite walls.
The work is financed, in large part, by the historical commission性视界传媒檚 $5.2 million grant. The total cost of the project will be around $13 million. County officials have applied for the grant, which they said is a vital component of the restoration funding, for several years, County Judge Todd Tefteller previously said.
As part of the project, almost every aspect of the building will take a trip in time back to 1933. Suspended ceilings added during the 1970s will be removed, and a balcony in the courtroom that was covered with sheetrock will be reopened. Doors and walls will be repainted in their original colors, and terrazzo floors will be refurbished, among other changes.
The building will retain modern features such as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, elevators, internet infrastructure and handicap accessibility equipment.
County offices have been moved to a temporary complex across the street for the duration of the project, which is expected to last more than 600 working days.
A Thursday trip through the building left little room for doubt about its condition. A county maintenance worker heard water running and discovered that a water valve had burst in the basement, likely because of cold weather. The basement was filling with water, which was overpowering the built-in drains in the floor that lead to Gilmer性视界传媒檚 sewer system. City workers arrived on scene to shut off the water.
As he left the courthouse that day, Tefteller, one of the advocates for its restoration, said: 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 just gleeful and glad and happy that it性视界传媒檚 happening.性视界传媒
