Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton This look at the front of the Warren County Courthouse shows the exterior work that was completed several years ago and what is included in a proposal for additional work to the exterior of the structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Several years ago, county officials undertook renovations to the Warren County Courthouse aimed at preserving the historic structure above the roofline.

A proposal was put before the county commissioners at this week’s work session for nearly $1 million in exterior repairs to the rest of the building.

Shane McGranaghan with Larson Karle Architects said that the outlined improvements are “mainly the building exterior” including brick repair, windows and peeling paint.

Commissioner Jeff Eggleston said the proposal is split into two pieces – one focusing on the 1876 portion of the courthouse and the 1925 addition with the rest including needed work to the jail and the most recent addition.

On the older portion, Eggleston said that the project would include the “painting of the remainder of the building” for “everything below the roofline” as well as brick and masonry repairs.

He highlighted areas where there are cracks as well as “technical structural concerns.”

McGranaghan estimated at the area of $900,000 in total, which includes work on the concrete steps on the Fourth Ave. side of the courthouse and repairs to the courthouse ceiling, which “was stained in some places due to the roof leak or something. It had been repainted a few years back. That was before it got rained on.”

“That’s a lot of money,” Commissioner Tricia Durbin said.

“It’s very noticeable, Eggleston said, and “will continue to deteriorate if we don’t address it…. Because of the age of the building, (we are) renovating the building to look historically accurate.”

Work outlined for the jail and newer portion of the courthouse includes brick repair and cleaning areas of the exterior that are stained. That total is in the area of $195,000.

Eggleston proposed that the commissioners take a couple weeks to review the proposal and discuss it further at the next work session.

“It’s an old building,” Durbin acknowledged. “It’s going to take money to fix it back up…. There’s a lot to be done it sounds and looks like.”

“The work that’s incorporated into these is needed,” Eggleston said. “The question is how and when it’s done.

“(We) really don’t have any more time to wait and address them.”