Licking County Courthouse Undergoes Major Exterior Update

NEWARK, Ohio — The Licking County Courthouse in Newark is in the midst of a major facelift to give it a similar appearance as its original 1876 structure. Marion, Ohio-based Midstate Contractors started work on the $9 million overhaul in May 2016, and the project team celebrated a topping off in early June. Robertson Construction Services Inc. of Heath, Ohio, is serving as the general contractor.

The courthouse’s old tower was damaged due to moisture and pigeon droppings, so the renovated tower had to be built with much care. The scaffolding alone took three months to install to set up the groundwork for recreating the building’s look in a much more up-to-date way. Midstate removed the old metal and molded new metal to match the 1876 look of the courthouse. While the team thought that some of the new metal could be saved, it in fact was beyond patching, said Bart Hooper, vice president of Midstate Contractors, to Newark Advocate, a local news outlet.

Midstate combined new technology with circa-1800 craftsmanship to create the latest version of the old look. Plus, the new tower is being built with more ventilation to let the water escape and keep pigeon droppings from affecting the metal, according to Newark Advocate.

Of the $9 million allocated to the project, $6 million was used for exterior work such as a new roof, improved exterior lighting and repairs to the tower, gutters, downspouts, sandstone and limestone. Inside, the project included installing a new elevator and realignment of the clerk’s office and boiler room.

The project is scheduled for completion in October. The tower will be painted its original tan color, while its dome will be more of a metallic gold instead of its previous bronze color.