JPs commit $5 million to renovate old county courthouse
Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008
BY TRISH HOLLENBECK Northwest Arkansas Times Members of the Quorum Court Thursday night gave their stamp of approval to an appropriation ordinance to spend $ 5 million on renovation of the Historic Washington County Courthouse. They also approved a bond-purchase agreement. The bond issue to pay for the renovation will be funded from court costs and fines. The bonds were sold with a 5. 1 percent interest rate Tuesday, subject to Quor um Court approval. There is an added $ 600, 000 to be held in escrow for the project that includes debt service.
The preliminar y construction cost for the historic courthouse renovation is about $ 4. 18 million, with a $ 418, 500 contingency, 10 percent of the cost, built into it. The architectural and engineering fee is estimated at about $ 390, 000. This is all according a preliminary project budget dated Aug. 14.
The cost per square foot for construction, including contingency, is estimated at $ 187, according to that document.
The gross building area is 24, 661 square feet.
But the project is still in the design phase and construction manager Kinco Contractors, a local firm, plans to do some preliminary work inside the building to determine the extent of work needed. It will also assign a cost to the project by working with the architect, Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects of Little Rock, which is the same firm involved with exterior renovation of the building.
The lone "no "vote for the appropriation to renovate the historic courthouse was Justice of the Peace Tom Lundstrum.
"I've agonized on this deal for some time," he said.
He said he has talked to constituents the last couple of weeks and has found no support for the proposal.
While, he said, he and his constituents support preserving the courthouse, they do not believe it requires spending the money being appropriated to do it.
He said he believes this is not the time to saddle the county with such debt.
Justice of the Peace Steve Zega said construction costs are not getting any cheaper and energy costs are another factor in that renovation could reduce utility costs in the building.
"Now is the time to do it," Zega said of the renovation.
County Judge Jerry Hunton said the renovation of the historic courthouse is something that has been discussed throughout his county judgeship, and the renovation of the interior will help protect the county's investment. The county has already spent abut $ 1 million to renovate the exterior.
Hunton also said this may be a good time to do the renovation as a way to provide construction jobs and help kick-start the local economy.
Justice of the Peace Joe Patterson said he thinks it is the right thing to do.
"We're at a point here where we've either got to kick it off or not kick it off," he said.
Citizen Tim Smith asked why it had to be passed with an emergency clause when county officials have been talking about it for so long.
In another matter, the Quorum Court approved spending $ 500, 000 to construct a courtroom in the Terminella Building for use by 4 th Circuit Judge Mary Ann Gunn while the historic courthouse is renovated.
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