Courthouse re-do is estimated at 25 million dollars

A new 35,000 square feet county courthouse should grace the Town of Fincastle by the end of 2024, if construction goes as planned. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the proposed Botetourt County Courthouse concept plan at its June 22, 2021 meeting.

The plan also received the nod from the county seat. Fincastle Mayor Mary Bess Smith read a resolution in support of the new courthouse plan that Fincastle Town Council and the town Planning Commission intend to adopt.

Additionally, speakers for both Historic Fincastle, Inc., and the Botetourt County Historical Society endorsed the proposal.

The new courthouse would replace the existing structure. The current courthouse was built almost from the ground up following a 1970 fire that destroyed an earlier courthouse structure.

The new courthouse would have a front façade similar to the current courthouse in order to maintain the historic integrity of the Town of Fincastle. The town became the county seat in 1772 and property for the courthouse was given to the town at that time.

The new courthouse has an estimated cost of $25 million. Almost half of that includes relocating the current Circuit Court Clerk’s Office and finding new quarters for a courtroom while the county builds the new facility, and moving the current Botetourt County Historical Museum. The County would move that structure, which is one of the oldest buildings in town, to an area behind the current Virginia Cooperative Extension Service office.

An independent financial analysis commissioned by the County indicates that Botetourt can afford the new courthouse project without raising tax rates. VACO/VML Finance of Richmond conducted the analysis. The county likely would pay for the construction through a low-interest loan from the Virginia Resources Authority or similar institution that specializes in financings for public projects. Financing would be spread over the useful life of the project (20 or more years) and provide the County affordable debt service payments without depleting the County’s cash fund balance.

The current courthouse must be replaced because it has outlived its usefulness, Deputy County Administrator David Moorman told the supervisors. The building has water damage, mold, cracks, and other structural issues. It is not accessible to the disabled and lacks secure facilities for deputies, the Circuit Court judge, and prisoners.

A presentation narrated by Circuit Court Clerk Tommy Moore showed the Supervisors and the public the degree of degradation the current facility suffers.

An advisory committee consisting of local officials and local history advocates developed the concept plan in conjunction with Architectural Partners of Lynchburg, a consulting architectural and engineer team. Aside from the courthouse, the plan includes a new courthouse “green” area for public use and gatherings, expanded parking, and relocating the museum.

Architectural Partner’s team included Ken Jandura of the Washington, D.C.-based DLR Group, a pre-eminent court facilities designer in the United States. The advisory committee included Circuit Court Judge Joel Branscom, Clerk of Circuit Court Tommy Moore, Commonwealth’s Attorney John Alexander, Fincastle Town Mayor Mary Bess Smith, Botetourt Board of Supervisors members Richard Bailey and Steve Clinton, Botetourt Historical Society representatives Weldon Martin and Ed Holt, and staff from the Sheriff’s Department and County Administration. Retired Circuit Court Judge Malfourd “Bo” Trumbo served as a consultant.

“The committee immediately had two goals for the courthouse,” said Architectural Partners Project Manager Jim Vernon. “Meet the long-term needs of the court system and retain the look of the current courthouse. The recommended concept meets both of those goals. It, also, represents the most efficient and cost-effective solution among numerous alternatives,” he added.

Another goal of the committee was to enhance the vitality of the Town of Fincastle. The courthouse green and generous parking would support public gatherings and events in the heart of Fincastle, and improve access to surrounding businesses.

“Avoiding or minimizing impact on the Historical Society’s museum was important to the Committee,” noted Vernon. “Relocating the building ended up being the proposal, but that is not the only option.”

The exteriors of the Old Jail, the Extension Office Building, and the Old General District Courthouse Building would remain untouched.

The Confederate Monument, which has been the subject of much debate at the supervisors’ meetings for several months, is slated to be placed in a sanctuary park beside the moved museum structure.

Moving the Circuit Court and judge from the courthouse, as well as relocating the Museum, must take place by the end of summer 2022 in order for the courthouse project to stay on schedule, Moorman told the Supervisors. This would require additional design work on the interior of the Old General District Courthouse and the Public Safety Building so the Circuit Court could continue to function.

The supervisors authorized a request for proposals for construction engineering and architectural drawings and bid documents consistent with the conceptual plan. They also authorized an evaluation team to receive and evaluate the professional design services proposals, authorized and oversight team to negotiate and award a design services contract, and authorized the County Administrator to execute all necessary documents for services.

                                                                           — Anita Firebaugh, Special to The Botetourt Bee