VALDOSTA —
While the Lowndes County judiciary has moved its proceedings to the Lowndes County Judicial Complex, the Lowndes County Courthouse remains a looming and legendary monument to Georgia justice.
Built in 1905, the courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and continues to serve the citizens of Valdosta and Lowndes County today for both additional courtroom space and for public gatherings like the Brown Bag concert series, Valdosta’s Farm Days, holiday festivals, fundraisers and other special events.
In spite of its historical value, the building is in need of some immediate attention, according to County Manager Joe Pritchard, and the annex that was added to the rear of the courthouse has become a distraction from the courthouse’s beauty.
County Commissioners have allocated $2 million in funds from the seventh cycle of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, if it passes Nov. 6. If voters turn down the SPLOST VII referendum, these renovations will be difficult to complete, if not impossible; there is no other funding source for the renovations.
The removal of the annex is estimated to cost about $120,000, which will include the demolition of the building and removal of all interior items such as steel, sheet rock, plumbing and other items inside the building, according to the County. Cameras located on the annex will be taken down and re-installed on the back corners of the courthouse.
Inside the courthouse, SPLOST will fund the repair of several pressing issues. The current HVAC system requires replacement to keep the interior of the courthouse properly climate-controlled. The system also requires a new design with easier access.
The ceiling tiles on the first floor also require replacement for both aesthetic and safety reasons. The aged tiles on the false ceiling are “dingy-looking,” according to Pritchard, and electrical conduits run above it.
Electrical issues with the main courtroom need repair, and some of the marble slab steps on the interior stairwells need replacing. Rooms in the basement need to be “finished out” and cleaned, and bathroom stalls need to be renovated, Pritchard said.
Finally, the walls are in need of repairs and a fresh coat of paint. When the renovations are complete, the courthouse may be re-employed by the County, according to Pritchard.
“It is obvious that the historical courthouse is a valuable asset to our community, and with the help of a citizens advisory committee, chaired by Senior Superior Court Judge, H. Arthur McLane, county officials will be in a position to choose a future use for the ground floor, as soon as renovations are complete,” Pritchard said.
The advisory committee is considering “various possibilities,” according to McLane. The only certain decisions are to remove the annex and leave the second floor as-is.
“The (second floor) courtroom can be used for high-profile cases or ceremonies or events that need a traditionally-styled courtroom,” he said. “We’re exploring a number of avenues for a possible use (for the first floor).”
Currently, the HVAC system is being run constantly to prevent deterioration of the inside of the courthouse, and to preserve records stored inside.
If SPLOST VII passes, the advisory committee will host a number of public opportunities to hear the “thoughts and suggestions” of the public, which the committee will consider, McLane said, adding that until the County receives SPLOST funding, nothing is definite.
No alternate funding sources have been discussed. If SPLOST does not pass, and the County is able to find an alternate source of funding for the project, progress will no doubt “move a lot slower,” McLane said.
“I think it’s extremely important,” McLane said about the renovations. “The two most important monuments in our town as well as throughout the South are the courthouses and the houses of worship because those represent the values and the greatest responsibilities of the American people. Churches reflect our faith in God, and courthouses reflect the respect we all should have for the rule of law.”
McLane added he, as well as the rest of the county, is “hoping that SPLOST will pass because that building is far too valuable financially and as a symbol of our legal system to sit there and not be used.”
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