PORT ANGELES — The iconic bell tower at the Clallam County Courthouse will serenade central Port Angeles with its familiar chimes within a week or two, county facilities officials said.
Improvements to the clock and bell tower are part of a $324,500 upgrade to the interior and exterior of the 97-year-old building on Lincoln Street.
“You can look, or listen, for the bell to again be ringing every half hour by the first week of February if all goes well,” said Joel Winborn, Clallam County Parks, Fair and Facilities manager.
The ongoing project is the third and final phase of an overhaul to the historic west wing that will meet the community’s needs for 20 years, Winborn said.
Work is scheduled to be finished by Feb. 14.
“We are generally on schedule,” Winborn said.
“There have been a few unforeseen things that have come up that we have had to address but nothing that delayed us to any appreciable degree.”
County commissioners awarded the contract to Mukilteo-based Advanced Construction Inc., last September. Advanced Construction submitted the lowest of four bids received by the county.
Half of the project is being funded by a 50-50 matching grant from the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
Clallam County budgeted its share of the cost in the 2010 capital projects fund.
Crews started working on the exterior of the courthouse in early October when the weather was still favorable.
Winborn said the exterior work includes:
• Cleaning, sealing and painting the building.
• Adding bird deterrent to the building parapets and bell tower roof.
• Replacing the failing concrete entry steps and railing.
• Repairing rot and deteriorated wood and metal damage to the bell tower.
• Re-pointing bricks.
• Repairing and repainting the clock.
• Replacing the roofing, hatch and ladder at the bell tower.
Highlights of the interior work include:
• Removing and replacing all carpet on the main level.
• Refinishing the terrazzo flooring and exposing areas previously covered by carpet.
• Repairing damaged plaster ceilings and installing new decorative ceiling tiles.
• Upgrading the lighting for energy efficiency.
• Painting all of the offices.
The county received a right-of-way permit with the city of Port Angeles to close the sidewalk directly in front of the courthouse while the entry stairs are being replaced.
The closure was necessary to keep pedestrians away from heavy equipment, Winborn said.
“This will likely will take another one to two weeks, weather permitting,” he added.
Four county departments on the main level of the historic courthouse were temporarily relocated during construction: Washington State University Extension, the law library, environmental health and the Parks, Fair and Facilities Division.
WSU Extension and the law library were moved to the former health department in the basement of the main courthouse when construction began.
They have since moved back to their original quarters.
“Now, my department and environmental health are temporarily in the former health department,” Winborn said.
“Work is scheduled to be completed in the offices by the end of next week so we may be moving back the last week of January.”
Built in 1914, the historic courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The larger east side and connecting jail were built in 1979.
Improvements to the historic courthouse began in 1999, when the second and third floors of the building were remodeled.
“That work included the historic courtroom upgrades, repairing and cleaning of the scagliola, extensive exterior brick work, extensive bell tower work and other associated repairs and improvements,” Winborn said.
Scagliola is also known as “faux marble” or “poor man’s marble,” Winborn said.
“In 2009, the old fuel-burning boiler was replaced with an energy-efficient electric steam boiler,” Winborn said.
“That work was used as part of our match for this project.
“And now, this project completes the third and final phase of our improvement plan and should complete all of our major needs for the next 20 years.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
