County hears restoration update

Corsicana County Commissioners got an update Monday on the status of the Texas Historical Commissions grant offer to restore the Navarro County Courthouse.

Navarro County was at the top of this years grant request list based on a scoring method for restoration applications, said Sharon Fleming, who helps oversee the Courthouse Restoration program for the Texas Historical Commission.

Navarro County has been offered a grant of about $4.5 million to proceed with the project thats about half of what will be needed based on latest estimates.

On a practical level, youll receive a building with all new systems, Fleming said, noting that electrical, plumbing, mechanical and data systems will be brought up to modern standards as a part of the restoration.

The historical integrity of the building is maintained, she said.

Fleming and Susan Gammage, who will serve as Navarro Countys project reviewer, also said the local community will likely see some benefits from the renovation in the form of the creation of local jobs, and construction and payroll dollars spent in the local economy.

(Contractors) will be using local people as much as they can, said County Judge H.M. Davenport Jr.

Fleming said the county chooses and hires the contractor for the restoration work.

Gammage also told commissioners that after the restoration project, what she called Heritage tourists would bring new tourism dollars to the area.

In addition to deciding how to proceed with the restoration, the county still needs to consider an alternate facility to serve as courthouse during the work, and identify which county offices may not be returning to the courthouse after the restoration work has been completed. It is likely a few offices will have new homes at an annex or other location after the proposed project.

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County hears restoration update