Commissioners consulting with historical architects on courthouse renovations
The Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners has begun consulting with architects specializing in historical courthouses as they continue to re-think additional renovation work at Hillsdale County’s main courthouse in the heart of downtown Hillsdale.
Commissioner Doug Ingles, who chairs the commissioner’s facilities committee, said an additional study will need to be done to provide the commissioners with all possibilities.
“We’re trying to find a historical architect’s point of view to best figure this out,” Ingles said.
Ingles and three other new commissioners took office in January ousting four of the five sitting commissioners who previously had a rudimentary plan to remove a load-bearing wall in the main courthouse to allow space for a third courtroom and move the 2B District Court out of the courthouse annex across the street.
However, earlier this summer an architectural study commissioned by the new board showed the load bearing wall could not be easily removed to accommodate the previous board’s plans so the commissioners went back to the drawing board.
Major renovations work since has been at a stand still but the county has proceeded with electrical work and HVAC replacement throughout this summer.
Ingles is hopeful the historical architectural consult will help the commissioners to make the best decision and preserve history.
“We have to make sure we really know what we’re doing and what the space needs are,” Ingles said.
Work at the historic courthouse really began after the county purchased and renovated the former Hillsdale Daily News headquarters on McCollum Street to allow space for county offices not related to court functions. Those offices were then moved and renovations at the courthouse began allowing other offices to begin moving from the second floor of the annex building which now sits vacant except for the Michigan Department of Corrections Parole Office.
The 2B District Court and its staff remain at the annex building and Ingles said during a previous interview its still possible the county may decide to keep the annex building and rent out the vacant offices on the second floor.
However, it is also possible the commissioners may opt to construct an addition to the historic courthouse to allow for space for the district court and sell the annex building as originally intended.
Ingles said all options remain on the table and the commissioners want to ensure thorough research is done before a final decision is made.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Commissioners consulting with historical architects on courthouse renovations
