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Courthouse report shows $4.5 million in long-term costs
A report prepared by Gary W. Anderson Architects and released by city of Woodstock officials shows about $143,000 in immediate critical needs and nearly $4.5 million in longterm costs associated with the restoration of the Old Courthouse Building.
“The Old Courthouse presents financial, operational and capital challenges that cannot be addressed in isolation but need to be viewed in the larger context,” a staff report stated. The city took ownership of the building in late 2010 with the intention of turning it over to private ownership in the future.
Required funding exceeds the financial capacity of the tax increment financing district fund, and city officials have stated other revenue sources will need to be identified to complete planned renovations. The Woodstock City Council and Historic Preservation Commission are aware of grant opportunities and will work together to determine how best to move forward with the building. A joint meeting is expected to be scheduled within the next few weeks.
According to the report, the exterior of the Old Courthouse presents the greatest immediate needs, totaling $120,600. Some of the needs include removal of the garage, restoration of the stairs, window repairs and repairs to the dome and chimney, among other items. Of the $120,600, about $34,000 in immediate needs is identified as exterior improvements to the former sheriff’s house, where La Petite Creperie currently operates.
Interior work inside the main courthouse building is expected to be $19,550, while the sheriff’s house portion represents only about $3,000 in immediate needs. Total interior immediate needs account for $22,550, according to the architect’s report.
While the immediate needs for the building may seem relatively manageable, the long-term renovations will be more difficult to complete. Exterior long-term needs account for about $1.84 million, while interior long-term needs are about $2.64 million.
Included within the report is a five-year capital improvement program list developed by city staff. According to this CIP, the city has identified about $1.86 million worth of repairs to the building (excluding in-kind and grant money) over the next five years. If the CIP is followed, the future owners of the building would be responsible for about $2.67 million in repairs, according to the staff report.
