“Renovation of the courthouse was essential to preserving the structural integrity of one of Clark County’s most iconic buildings,” she said. “In addition, the commissioners wanted to ensure that the building met current safety and code regulations while still guaranteeing the building was functional and cost-efficient for continued use.”
Offices and courtrooms moved to the third floor of the Bushnell building, 14 E. Main St., at the beginning of this year for the renovation work.
Similar to the work that was completed at AB Graham, Hutchinson said the project includes a full renovation of the interior, including a new elevator, electrical wiring, heating, air conditioning, plumbing and fire suppression, and the layout was reconfigured to “improve operational efficiency for the staff and customers.”
The courthouse’s exterior went through renovations several years ago, with the replacement of windows and other updates to the building.
There have been a few challenges or setbacks related to the project, with some “rather unpleasant and resulted in costly change orders,” such as replacing the sanitary sewer line and uncovering a 19’x14’x10’ cistern that had to be filed.
“It was inevitable that the county would face unexpected challenges during the restoration of the courthouse,” Hutchinson said.
However, a “pleasant discovery” on the second and third floor courtrooms were hand painted oil paintings that commissioners decided to have restored, Hutchinson added.
The substantial completion date is Sept. 17, and the county will spend October and November moving the offices into the newly renovated courthouse and deconstructing the temporary space at Bushnell. However, the county does not have a date yet as to when they will begin operations back at the courthouse.
Hutchinson said the county can’t wait to unveil the new renovated courthouse and “hopes the residents take pride in this beautifully restored asset for many years to come.”
The county is charged $26,500 per month to take up space on the Bushnell building’s third floor. This is similar to what the county was charged for the renovation project for the A.B. Graham building from 2019 to 2020. The building houses several Clark County offices.
In September 2024, the county approved a $1.3 million contract with Becker Construction Inc. to make the interim space in the Bushnell building suitable to hold court.
In June 2022, commissioners approved up to $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to cover architect fees for the improvement project.
About the Author
