Photo by Matt de Simone
By Matt de Simone
For the last two years, many people have wondered about the status of the Botetourt County Courthouse renovation project after being met with delays. According to the original plan, the project should have been well into the construction phase at this point. Currently, there is “no definite timeline” on when the project will resume, according to Capital Projects Manager Rich Evans, who recently provided a brief update about the ongoing courthouse renovations.
At a June 22, 2022 meeting of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, the board unanimously approved a proposed courthouse plan. The conceptual plan, developed by an advisory committee consisting of local officials and local history advocates, called for building a new courthouse on the site of the existing Circuit Courthouse on Main Street in Fincastle. The plan includes a new courthouse “green” area for public use and gatherings, expanded parking, and relocating the museum/old Breckinridge law office that was formerly occupied by the Botetourt County Historical Society.
The original estimated cost of the project was then approximately $25 million and was slated for completion December of 2024, as of the summer of 2022. Last September, the county removed the original general contractor, KNA Contracting. Now, the county is continuously working to get the project completed, but still has some bridges to cross.
The project was originally set up in two phases, “A” and “B.” Phase A set up the infrastructure to tear down the courthouse, move the old museum for preservation, and moving the historical files out of the courthouse. This was the part of the project that was left unfinished. Namely, the physical move of the old Breckinridge law office in front of a retaining wall built to the west of courthouse square. Phase B was for general construction of the new courthouse/square. Evans noted that the contractor will still need to complete the initial phase before any other work can begin.
Currently, the county is negotiating with a bonding company, who is responsible for arranging for the completion of the contract if the contractor fails to perform. Additionally, the county is negotiating with an architecture/engineering (A&E) firm, Architectural Partners, who were originally awarded the contract by the county.
“When a general contractor is removed, they have insurance through a bonding company to basically pick up the pieces/cost if they get removed for cause from a project,” Evans explained. “So, the regional general contractor was removed, so now Botetourt County, the bond company, the A&E firm, and a new general contractor are all in negotiations to get this project back on track.”
Evans noted that the four-way negotiations are “very sensitive” with “a lot of money involved.”
“Once that gets settled, we’ll have a new general contractor out here and work can resume,” Evans added.
Evans is also in the process of working negotiations for the renovation of the Buchanan Library and adding a 911 call center to the Read Mountain Fire Department on top of other county projects.
“For a county that’s got a population of 34,000 people, I will say that the Botetourt County government is exceptionally professional,” Evans said. “I’m really impressed with the caliber of people they have for such a small populated county. I’m happy to be here. It amazes me that the county has this many improvement projects going on.”
