County Commission meeting room to undergo renovation in 2024

The Commission meeting room on the second floor of the historic County Courthouse in downtown Lawrence will be renovated in 2024. The renovation includes fitting the room to accommodate five commissioners beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and repairing water damage that occurred in October 2022 from a fire sprinkler system flood. The Courthouse was built in 1904, and the goal of the project is to preserve the integrity of the room’s historic features while equipping it with modern technologies.

Commissioners approved an estimated budget of $1.3 million for the renovation project during their meeting on Dec. 13. The county will use $135,000 in insurance settlement money to repair and replace items damaged because of the associated flooding. These items include ceiling tiles, light fixtures, and audio-visual equipment.

The Courthouse is listed on the national and state Register of Historic Places. The County will receive state tax credits for work performed on historic project components. Director of Capital Projects Jay Zimmerschied estimates that the County will receive approximately $172,000, but it won’t be known until the project is finished.

Among the highlights of the renovation project:

• The layout of the room will be restored to its original configuration, based on a 1913 photo. The dais, where the commissioners sit, will be relocated to the south wall, and will face the main entrance. It will be expanded to fit five commissioners and will be made accessible to comply with ADA standards.
• The benches will be relocated to the north wall, so the entrance will be at the back of the room, and padding will be added to the benches.
• Woodwork will be removed, restored, and repositioned inside the room, including the dias, benches and railings. The back board and railings on the small jury box are historic and will be preserved; however, the jury box platform is not historic and will not be reinstalled. A new chandelier will be replicated to match the original one, and there will be sconce lighting on the east and south walls to complement the chandelier.
• A small meeting room will be added on the south side of the room under the balcony.

In addition to Commission meetings, the County uses the room for staff and community meetings, Drug Court program graduation ceremonies, law enforcement ceremonies, jury selection, retirement celebrations and other events. The renovation will include integration of modern technology and a layout that easily adapts to the various space needs.

The County will be seeking to hire a construction company for the renovation work in early 2024 with plans to have the work finished by fall 2024.

During construction, the County plans to use the conference room at the Zoning & Codes and Public Works building, 3755 E. 25th St., for commission meetings.