Published Tuesday, April 6, 1999 Now, they are more concerned about the public safely getting into and out through the north and west porticos of the courthouse every day. The roofed and pillared porches are plagued by crumbling cement, tiles and weak supports.
County commissioners and architects say the county needs to spend nearly $500,000 now to fix a deteriorating framework beneath the north portico and to replace tiles and cement in both porticos. Or else, it could cost $25 million to replace the 90-year-old courthouse, said F. Paul Mastriana, a principal in 4M Company, Youngstown architectural consultants in the courthouse restoration project.
Monday, Mercer County commissioners and the architects spelled out the immediate needs to fix the North and West porticos.
Over the years, water has seeped through tiles, deteriorating supports beneath the two porticos. Railings on the West Portico are "totally inadequate," Mastriana said. Tiles are lifting and plaster is flaking, he said.
"Structurally, we could have a problem," Mastriana said.
"The North Portico is structurally unsafe," said Dean Alexander, a local contractor and a member of the courthouse restoration committee. If it were empowered to certify older buildings, the state Department of Labor and Industry would not certify the safety of the North Portico, he said.
"We were hoping to restore the rotunda, but that became impossible because of all these problems," said John G. "Jerry" Johnson, chairman of the courthouse restoration committee and of the Mercer County Bicentennial Commission.
When they meet Thursday, Mercer County commissioners are expected to act on whether to OK some of its bond-funded capital reserves for the porticos projects. The county has about $800,000 available from a bond, which was used to pay for the 911 center and a 1991 jail expansion project.
Through a bank, the county borrows funds from investors and pays them back over a long term with tax-free interest.
Work by Wallace Builders, Pulaski, on the porticos is expected to begin this fall and finished in time for the Bicentennial events, Mastriana said.
Commissioner Olivia M. Lazor said she hopes the projects inspire the community to contribute toward future phases of the courthouse restoration.
Besides what the public can see in and around the courthouse, the restoration also needs to be aimed at plumbing, wiring, and heating, said Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman.
"If it continues to deteriorate, the public won't want to spend the money to restore it," Mastriana said. The courthouse was built in 1911 for $450,000 and it would cost now $25 million to replace it, he said.
"She's a grand lady," Mastriana said. "She's about 90 years old and at some time she requires maintenance. We all do. Do we let her die or do we restore and revive her?" the architect said.
