Taylor County Courthouse gets new windows

Shown above is a picture of the Taylor County Courthouse in its original grandeur. The pinnacles on both towers have been removed, as well as, the statue that stood on the roof high above the front entrance. The once white accented areas have since been painted dull gray.

GRAFTON – The Taylor County Courthouse is being renovated one piece at a time. In 2003, the West Virginia Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority included the Taylor County Courthouse in their report to the Legislature. That report concluded that the total estimated cost of the repairs to the courthouse, plus renovations to the old jail, were around $2,466,240. Since 2003, county officials have been working to accomplish the improvements listed in that report.

The Taylor County Courthouse was built in 1900, with an annex attached in 1976. Since the release of the report, the jail has been incorporated, as well as, the addition of the old First Community Bank annex, which is still being renovated.

An agreement has been made between the city of Grafton and the Taylor County Commission for the county to receive the property between the courthouse annex and the bank annex. As the city is giving the property to the county, the city has agreed to remove the steps between the two structures.

Considering the disrepair of the stairs, city and county officials believe them to be an unnecessary liability risk. The commission has agreed to have railings constructed at the top of the steps, which was to have been completed this past weekend, so that city crews could safely remove the steps before the week’s end.

Once the bank annex renovations near completion, the commission has discussed using the alley given to the county to construct an access tunnel, which will connect the current courthouse annex to the bank annex.

As far as the original structure is concerned, the West Virginia Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority described it as a “beautiful brown brick and stonework structure.”

In their report, the authority addressed issues with windows in the original building. “Some of the courthouse’s windows are new double pane, aluminum frame windows, in very good condition,” while “other windows are wood frame, single pane, double sash in very poor condition with missing and damaged caulking.”

The reported suggested that the county, “Replace the windows in the courthouse with historic sashes.”

In discussing window replacements last Tuesday evening before the commission meeting; Taylor County Commission President Rusty Efaw noted that many attempts had been made to secure grants for the replacement of the windows. Efaw went on to note the approval of a grant that had been discussed by the commission in the May 1, 2012 meeting.

The Courthouse Improvement Grant that Efaw was citing allotted Taylor County $105,000 to put toward the replacement of the courthouse windows. With window replacement bids of about $201,138, the grant left the county short nearly $97,000.

During the May 1 meeting, Commissioner Tony Veltri noted that in order to accept the grant, the county had to add money to it. Since the county had to add money to the grant in order to be able to accept it anyway, Commissioner Dave Gobel made the motion to go ahead and add what funds were needed to be able to replace all of the windows and finish the project. All commissioners agreed to the proposal.

With the combined grant and county funding, the Taylor County Courthouse is to be fitted with wooden frame windows with round tops as was in the structure when it was constructed. In addition, commissioner Efaw noted that exterior painting needed done and that the commission would be accepting suggestions.