LEWISBURG, WV (WOAY) – The Greenbrier County Courthouse is expanding and renovating, meaning employees working in close quarters will finally get some much needed space and updated amenities.
Built in 1837, the Greenbrier County Courthouse is in major need of some updates.
“[We need to bring] everything into compliance and code and update electric systems,” said Greenbrier County Commission president Lowell Rose. “Every type of system in the courthouse is antiquated.”
The courthouse needs to be brought up to code in several areas, including not having the judge and prosecutor’s offices next to each other. Other updates needed include air conditioning, sprinkler systems and heating, but that’s not all.
“The main wiring in the old part of the courthouse we can’t buy parts for the breakers. The things were probably put in in the ’40s or ’50s and years ago they quit making parts for them.”
On top of the renovations, the courthouse will expand with an over 22,000 square foot addition.
“It started out about 3 or 4 million dollars higher than what we were comfortable with. We took out about 4400 sq. ft. The architects had some fluff in there: wider hallways, some offices had big entry foyers in the offices. We took out a lot of that excess space.”
The project is expected to help the courthouse run more smoothly, but the finished product is still a couple years down the line.
Bidding for construction is expected to open in late December or early January.
