An engineering study on the Marshall County Courthouse and restoration drawings for the courthouse clock tower is anticipated to begin soon.
According to Principal Investigator Kurt Garner, the county received matching grant funds from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology Principal Investigator for this work to be done. He said the county commissioners last year applied for the grant that would address the clock tower and the rest of the courthouse.
“We made the case for the need to restoration work on the tower, but we also wanted kind of a whole building assessment in terms of structure, weather-tightness, and that,” said Garner. “This study will actually accomplish both of those.”
The county received $25,000 in reimbursable grant funds that will be matched the same by the county.
A request for qualifications will be sent to engineering firms with a decision by mid-September. Drawings should be rendered for review in May or June of next year.
Garner, who is offering in-kind services through his independent company, said there are some areas of concern with the clock tower.
“The biggest concern is there’s a lot of deterioration of paint and the outside skin of that tower is mostly wood. There’s some deterioration of some wood members that need to be addressed. This will be a full assessment then in restoration of the tower.”
It is the hope of all involved to have restoration efforts done by the courthouse’s 150th celebration in 2022. The drawings will be released for bids in 2020 with potential restoration efforts done in 2021 and work done in time for the 150th celebration.
Garner noted that the grant funds received for the engineering study are limited and the county was involved in a competitive process to receive the funds.
“We did really well because I think that the State is recognizing the need to address some areas of historic courthouses. I think that the Pulaski County Courthouse is one that most people think of in terms of the latest battle to save historic county courthouses.”
Earlier this month, the Marshall County Commissioners approved a grant letter for this engineering study. Commissioner Mike Delp will oversee the process on the local level.
