The old Lyon County Courthouse is undergoing a major transformation as workers prepare it for new tenants.
Marshall Miller, Lyon County commission chairman, and Mark McKenna, facilities manager, toured the building on Friday, talking about what used to be and what the building is becoming.
“We went from the 1950s to 2000s in one shot,” McKenna said he and Miller were walking down a hallway of what is being called the 402 Annex.
The building is about 75 percent done, Miller said, and is expected to be completed in February. The building is being renovated by Markowitz Builders. The project cost of the current phase is just under $500,000. The first phase cost $1.2 million and was reimbursed at 50 percent.
The first phase included renovation of bathrooms and elevators to make it handicapped accessible and upgrades of the heating and cooling system.
“This is pretty extensive what we’re doing now,” Miller said as the sound of saws and hammering mixed with the smell of paint down the partially completed hallways.
When the renovation is complete, the second floor will house some offices for the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas.
The first floor will house county offices including the Department of Aging, RSVP and transportation offices.
“It’s taking shape,” Miller said as he entered the building.
Upon entering the building from the front, the original terrazzo floor remains. It is covered with cardboard and particleboard to protect it during it construction.
On the first floor, new lighting has been installed. The walls are either covered with wallboard or plastered. The ceilings will be drop ceilings.
“Basically all they have to do is drop the ceiling in and flooring and you can move furniture in,” Miller said as he stood in what used to be the Register of Deeds office.
A large meeting room has been created out of the former county clerk’s office. A kitchenette is being created with cabinets, sink and a stove.
More offices are being created in the former accounting and bills payable office. Those spaces have not yet been designated, Miller said.
“Several rooms have not been assigned yet,” he said.
Miller said the lighting has changed throughout.
“Once you drop the ceiling in here, it’s going to look brand new,” he said. “The lighting is so much better than we used to have.”
Fire alarms also have been upgraded throughout the building. They have both strobe lights and an audible tone so that they are noticeable by people with hearing and visual impairments.
“That’s a nice upgrade,” McKenna said.
The former district courtroom on the second floor is being transformed into a large meeting room for the mental health agency. The room is wired so presentations can be done in different areas of the room, McKenna said.
The old bathrooms in the jury deliberation room have been removed, making a larger office space. Large bundles of wires snake along the ceiling that will carry data.
“That’s all the wiring needed for the Mental Health Center,” Miller said.
There are four separate offices on the second floor, which are bright because of large windows.
One room on the second floor is being renovated to be a demonstration kitchen for mental health center clients. The room will be used to teach clients life skills such as cooking and preparing food, McKenna said.
The basement also is undergoing renovations. McKenna already has his office there.
One of the former courtrooms is being turned into a secure room for the new electronic voting machines. Shelving has been built and outlets line the shelving.
“Instead of plugging some in one day and some in another day, she (Karen Hartenbower) can plug them all in at once,” McKenna said.
All new doors are being installed in the basement and the elevator on the north side of the building will be blocked off and disabled because fire code requirements.
The basement also houses all the massive heating and cooling equipment that was installed in Phase One of renovations. Fire alarm wires are visible in the boiler room. They will go all the way to the jail, where they are monitored by county dispatch.
“It was very well thought out,” Miller said. “This whole block is basically connected.”