Photo by Matt de Simone
By Matt de Simone
The construction of the new Botetourt County Circuit Courthouse remains on schedule for completion in fall 2027, County Capital Projects Manager Rich Evans told Fincastle Town Council Thursday at the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department Meeting Room.
Evans provided council with an update on both the courthouse and the planned reconstruction of the historic Breckinridge Law Office and Hotel during the council’s September meeting. He provided several exterior and interior photos from the ongoing courthouse project.
“The project is still absolutely on schedule,” Evans said of the courthouse.
Much of the courthouse is now framed, Evans added, while the building’s exterior masonry and brickwork continue to progress.
The west side of the building has been completed with masonry, and crews have begun installing the brick veneer on the north side. Evans said that work will continue before crews move to the remaining exterior sections and then the front of the building.
All of the courthouse windows are now installed, and Evans said the building is expected to be “dried in” within about two weeks. The roof is also beginning to take shape, with the green metal roofing expected to begin going up soon.
Inside the building, crews are framing walls throughout much of the courthouse. Evans said work was briefly slowed by a disagreement over the number of data outlets needed in the building.
“The only reason we a little bit slowed down the framing was some internal conflict on how much data outlets to put in, believe it or not,” Evans said.
The issue arose because the Supreme Court and the architects had different requirements for the number of outlets, Evans said, resulting in a higher number than necessary. He pointed out that the construction team is intentionally maintaining some schedule cushion.
“Every time we save a little time, we put it in our pockets, because there’s going to be something that’ll get us at some point in time,” he said.
The construction project is also approaching a significant change to the area around the courthouse. Evans said the construction team plans to clear the area in front of the clerk’s office and jail after the upcoming Fincastle Festival and begin tearing up that portion of the site. Before the front parking lot can be disrupted, however, the rear parking lot must be brought to grade and prepared for parking.
Evans also discussed the courthouse bell, which has become something of a running issue during construction. The bell is equipped with an electric ringer, and the current plan is for it to ring automatically at noon each day, following a request from Judge Hoel Branscomb. When the bell was first tested, Evans said, its transformer burned out.
“That bell’s been my nemesis for a long time,” Evans joked.
Evans said the town and project team are working to find someone capable of servicing the system and intend to have it operating.
He also updated council on the Breckinridge Law Office and Hotel project with renderings that were also presented to the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors last month.
The law office portion will be reconstructed as closely as possible to the historic structure, although Evans said he does not like describing it as an exact replica. Different sections of the building will use slightly different brick colors and masonry styles to reflect how the original structure was expanded over time.
The hotel portion will be a one-story, open design rather than the original two-story configuration. Construction cannot begin until the site is turned over to the county by Jamerson-Lewis. Evans said construction could begin as early as late 2027, although the project is expected to be completed around mid-2028. Evans said the biggest challenge will be the logistics of moving construction materials in and out of the tightly confined site.
Council members also received updates on several town projects.
Town Manager Melanie McFadyen said paving is scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 14, on the east side of Fincastle, generally the area to the right of U.S. 220. Council discussed parking arrangements and ways to notify residents and businesses about the work.
McFadyen noted that the town planned to use social media and other notices to help residents move vehicles before paving crews arrive.
The town also will undergo PFAS sampling on Sept. 16. McFadyen said the town has never had PFAS detected in its samples, but the state now requires two samples a year.
The town’s new backup generator has been ordered, with council member Clay Fitzgerald assisting with the purchase and preparations for installation. Work is underway to prepare a level pad at the well site.
McFadyen also reported progress on efforts to have Settlers Road and Ridgely Lane incorporated into the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) system. Settlers Road is essentially complete, she said, but Ridgely Lane still requires additional work and coordination with the developer.
The issue took on added importance following last year’s ice storm, when Ridgely Lane was not plowed because it was not yet part of the VDOT system.
Big Spring Park also continues to receive improvements. McFadyen said the bridge has been refurbished, the monument is complete and fencing has been installed. The U.S. Forest Service is expected to assist with invasive plant removal later this year.
The park also has begun seeing increased use, including by local cheerleaders for practice.
Council reviewed upcoming community events, including the Fincastle Fall Festival on Sept. 26, the First Bank Fall Run on Oct. 17, Open Studios – Botetourt, Oct. 17-18, Halloween on Oct. 31 and the Christmas Parade and Tinsel Trail kickoff Dec. 5.
During citizen comments, a resident asked about a FEMA grant intended to fund the town’s generator.
McFadyen said the town has not yet received word on the grant, which has been delayed. Because of the uncertainty, the town decided to purchase a generator for its main well using remaining ARPA funds. If the FEMA funding eventually comes through, the town plans to use it for a second well.
Council also discussed the possibility of creating a volunteer effort to help Fincastle homeowners who are struggling with yard and property maintenance. Fincastle Mayor Mary Bess Smith said the town wants to preserve the appearance and historic character of Fincastle without unnecessarily escalating conflicts with residents.
“I think we owe it to our neighbors, and to the historic elements of the town to try to preserve, you know, our oldest buildings,” Smith said.
Council members discussed potential partnerships with churches, civic groups and young people seeking volunteer hours, with Smith asking members to consider ways to make such an effort “helpful and neighborly” rather than an example of government overreach.
The next meeting of Fincastle Town Council is Oct. 8.
