Photo courtesy of Botetourt Co.
By Matt de Simone
The future of the old Breckinridge Law Office and Hotel is still yet to be determined, despite last week’s initial update on the matter at the Botetourt County Board of Supervisor’s June 24 meeting.
On Monday, a group met that included Del. Terry Austin, Botetourt County administration, Fincastle Mayor Mary Bess Smith, and others to discuss other routes to possibly still physically move the building elsewhere on courthouse property in the future. It was first determined last week by the county that the building could potentially be demolished.
Last week, County Capital Projects Manager Rich Evans revealed to the board that the old Botetourt County Historical Museum, also known as the Breckinridge Law Offices and Hotel, would likely not be physically moved due to structural deficiencies. This move was initially part of the first phase in the courthouse renovation process.
In response to that announcement, a meeting took place Monday morning between county officials, the Town of Fincastle, and others who remain hopeful they can still find a way to move the historic building. Del. Terry Austin, who appropriated state funding in 2022 for a new museum, was one of the elected officials in attendance Monday weighing in on possible options.
“I’m not saying the county was not just in the conclusion that they came to,” Austin said in an interview Monday morning. “However, there may be other options to be considered (before demolishing the building). I think we can work together and make sure that everyone (involved in the decision-making) is in agreement with the conclusions supported by facts and evidence.”
The meeting concluded with a decision to bring together professional experts, community stakeholders, and other interested parties to evaluate ideas and help determine the best course of action. An official noted that while demolition is still a possibility, more time is needed to ensure there is consensus and that the final decision truly reflects the best way forward.
The courthouse project was restructured into two phases last year. It’s currently still in its first phase: removing what’s already been demolished and moving historic structures on site. Additional research into the feasibility of moving the building could potentially lead to further project delays.
As it stands, the current state of the old law office and hotel doesn’t sound like its structurally in the best shape based on the information Evans and company provided last week.
Evans was joined at last week’s meeting by Jim Benn, the Senior Project Manager for the ongoing Botetourt County Courthouse project, to reveal what led them to that decision.
In a video presented to the board during the June 24 meeting, site superintendent Paul Whitney of Jamerson-Lewis Construction revealed some of the issues found in the “unstable width of brick throughout the wall(s).”
Whitney spoke about four different ages of construction that were involved with the building noting some of the bricks dating back to the mid-1770s. Moisture and climate resulted in bricks’ inability to “hold together and, in some cases, fall apart” relative to environmental conditions. He pointed out the different layers of brick used in the structure and how the interior layers have absorbed centuries of moisture causing the bricks to crumble. These conditions would add to the daunting challenge of moving the entire building.
“I think, between the structural engineers that agree and the historical restoration company that does brick restoration, it’s very difficult, maybe impossible, to move (the building),” Whitney said in the video.
Historical masons from Skyline Restoration were on site May 15 to begin their work. The masons then had to prove the proper brick work could be done, as directed, with a sort of “show and tell” presentation in order to prove the building could be moved.
“(The masons) built us a mock-up, like a fake wall or small wall, to show that they can do the brick the way we want it done,” Evans explained in an interview last Thursday morning. “They’ll also do what’s called ‘pointing’ a couple of walls, which is removing old mortar and putting new mortar in, proving that they can get (the old brick to set) the way we want it – matching colors and tight, corrective order before we let them do any real work.”
Skyline came on site to take samples of the border around the building due the necessity of making sure masons had the correct type of mortar, or, whether too hard or too soft, it could potentially bust. Evans says that the masons were given the “okay” to proceed by the architect (Architectural Partners).
“That very day, when (the masons) started removing some of the brick to restitch it and repoint it, they came and interrupted a meeting and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got to stop work here,’” Evans continued.
On that same day, the masons showed that the structural integrity of the bricks of the old law offices and hotel were, as Evans shared, “was way worse than we thought.” Evans called in a structural engineer who showed up that afternoon and gave a report where the engineer told Evans that the building should not be a candidate for relocating/removal.
Evans, just to be certain, called in another structural engineering firm that took a little over a week to send back a similar report that the building should in no way be removed from its current location.
The historical masons explained to Evans that even if they could try to “stiffen up” the building, it would take an additional six months and there would still be no guarantee the building would be sturdy enough to be lifted, moved, and reset elsewhere on the courthouse property.
The construction team then had to put their collective heads together to come up with the best course of action. Several meetings then took place between the construction team and county administrators, according to Evans. The conclusion was made roughly two weeks ago that there was nothing else that could be done to save the former location of the Botetourt County Historical Museum.
During Evans’ presentation to the Board of Supervisors last week, he compared attempting to relocate the structure would be like relocating a sand castle at this point.
The building itself is not a part of the National Register of Historic Places, although the Fincastle District, as whole, is a registered site. However, the town has an ordinance in place where buildings over 100 years old are not to be demolished unless approved by the town’s planning commission. When asked Thursday, Evans said that no local or state preservation groups were consulted prior to county administrators moving forward with their decision on the future demolition of the building.
Ultimately, Evans shared last week that he was disappointed to discover the building’s health. He, along with many of the county’s citizens who appreciate the history of the county and of its county seat, will continue to work with professionals, stakeholders, and others to ensure that the best course of action will be made regarding the future of the old Breckinridge Law Office and Hotel in Fincastle.
To watch Evans’ presentation, visit Botetourt County’s YouTube page (@botetourtcountyva). Stay up to date on the ongoing courthouse project by visiting www.botetourtva.gov/707/Circuit-Courthouse-in-Fincastle.
