Sep. 18—Construction to replace the roof at the Anderson County Courthouse begins this week.

Monday, the courthouse square was roped off and materials were unloaded and set up for the project to begin. Drivers should be mindful that traffic around the courthouse may be impeded due to construction in the coming weeks.

Construction crews will completely remove and replace the courthouse roof. This project is expected to last around six weeks.

During a meeting held in May, the Anderson County Commissioners Court discussed the urgent need to move forward with repairs to the historic Anderson County Courthouse.

Gary Adams of DRG Architects addressed the court regarding the needs and order of urgency for repairs to the historic building.

Adams and County Judge Carey McKinney both cited extreme issues with water leaks and damage to the roof of the courthouse, especially around the rotunda.

"We've got to act on this and get the roof put on," McKinney said after learning the ceiling of the County Court at Law courtroom had fallen in.

Commissioners voted to exempt DRG Architects from competitive bidding in order to retain their services related to engineering and architectural services for major repairs to the courthouse due to the county having used their services previously.

Facility renovations and upgrades have been a prevalent theme for Judge McKinney since taking office in January.

The current courthouse is actually Anderson County's fourth courthouse built in 1913-1914. It was designed by the Austin architectural firm Charles Page & Bro., and was dedicated Dec. 20, 1914. The Beaux-Arts style building is topped by a dome featuring a Justice statue. The courthouse underwent a major restoration in 1986.