Preservation of the National Historic Landmark Jefferson County Courthouse clock tower has started.
Jefferson County Department of Public Works has launched the design phase for the clock tower rehabilitation, budgeted at $2.4 million.
This project is the first phase of a future and larger rehabilitation of the main part of the courthouse building.
The project design team is led by Architectural Resources Group Architects and Planners, a firm that specializes in historic preservation work.
The design team includes Degenkolb Structural Engineers and Mortenson Construction, among others.
Degenkolb Engineers, serving as project structural engineer, led the project pre-design phase completed in 2004.
Mortenson Construction is providing important cost estimating and construction insight to the project.
The clock tower rehabilitation focuses on that part of the tower above the main roof of the courthouse.
The historic rehabilitation will address wind load concerns on the upper levels of the tower while improving structural performance in the event of an earthquake.
The design phase now under way is scheduled to complete in time for construction bidding in early 2006.
The project construction phase is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2006.
