Crane updates on the courthouse move

Progress is slow but not halted on the Hempstead County Courthouse building and relocation project according to Hempstead former sheriff now County Judge Jerry Crane. Crane recently updated HopePrescott.com on the goings on.

Crane said utmost concern is for the taxpayers money and of course how it is being delegated in this particular instance. Although it isn’t known for a fact where funding will come from for the completion of the project, they do have enough to get things up and running.

Crane said the original cost was set at $3.2 million. But now they have trimmed it down to $2.7 million.

“ We looked at several areas that didn’t have to be torn out or remodeled and what it is going to cost of taxpayers money.  Crane said.

The original blue prints have been completely redone, according to Crane. The county has been waiting on the architects and the contractors. They are also waiting on some codes from the City of Hope as well, Crane said. He said it seems as if they have been trimmed as much as possible.

“ It is a beautiful building. We are leaving as much as we can to save money. We are keeping tile floor and the carpet,” Crane said.

Some things they can’t really get around changing will be the system update for the heat and air. The old system was a boiler system. Crane said that would have to be updated because the current system wouldn’t be the best and most practical. Some plumbing has to be done with the addition of restrooms. They will put in two courtrooms and an office to house the county prosecutor and coroners offices. 

“ All these things take a lot of time and money,” Crane added.

The most important aspect of this move will be the health and safety of the courthouse employees, according to Crane. There has also been a storage facility deleted from the original estimate. Crane emphasized that staying in the current building” would not work.” He said the floors would have to be completely stripped out and asbestos would have to be removed. There are problems with the walls, the ceiling and pipes have also burst in the courthouse. He  said there were areas that in the current courthouse that were in terrible shape. Crane said once they are able to start the work in the new building, they estimate that it will take from 10 months to a year to complete. He said that was a “rough guess.”