Restoring grandeur of old courthouse

Generally, every day one or two people wander as close as they can to the fenced-off original Flathead County Courthouse to see the source of the sounds coming from the now-unoccupied three-story building.

If they are lucky enough to catch a glimpse inside one of the windows that’s not temporarily covered by plastic or wood, they will see craftsmen measuring, cutting and installing duct work for a new heating and cooling system, other workers framing walls for new office spaces and yet others prepping floors and walls for pipes to accommodate plumbing.

Renovation of the courthouse began in early February, after the construction contract was awarded to Martel Construction. The $2.6 million project is to be finished in September.

So far, the number of surprises inside the building — constructed in 1902 — have been minimal, Martel Construction Superintendent John Beck and CTA Architects Engineers Project Manager Corey Johnson said.

One small whiskey bottle — empty, but intact — was found inside a wall, Beck said. He did some research and learned that the whiskey came from Kalispell distiller August Heller. Beck said he thinks the bottle might be a nice addition to the display cases in the courthouse which will hold historical items.

As much as possible, the new parts of the courthouse will match the texture and aesthetics of the original, Johnson said.

That includes maintaining most of the high ceilings, Johnson said. The original courthouse did not have ducts for a heating and cooling system, so the new ductwork is being installed in ceilings but disguised, he said.

A few of the old brass steam radiators will remain in the building for ambiance, but won’t be used for heat, Johnson said.

The old clock tower will remain in place, Johnson said, but since no clock was ever installed in the tower, it will stay empty. To date, the best part of the renovation project for Johnson was getting to climb into the clock tower and see the 360-degree panoramic view of the Flathead Valley. “It’s kind of a rickety [climb], but worth it,” he said.

The reconstruction effort includes a structural steel upgrade for the bricks on the tower to comply with current construction requirements.

“The brick has been held up primarily by gravity,” Johnson said. There is some concern that seismic activity could cause it to collapse, so it will be secured to prevent that from occurring.

In the last 100 years, the courthouse had been remodeled so that essentially “every nook and cranny” was being used, Johnson said. Part of the renovation project includes restoring some of the public space. The wide staircase will be reconstructed and lead to lobbies on both the second and third floors.

The third-floor windows that look onto Kalispell’s Main Street will be opened back up after having been painted black when an office and closet were installed in front of them.

“Part of this project is restoring the building to its historic grandeur,” Johnson said. As near as possible, the ornate wood on the staircase will be replicated and the walls will curve into the ceiling in the upper-floor lobby areas, as they do on the first floor of the building.

Yet, he cautions, the building won’t be returned to its original condition. The renovated courthouse is serving a different purpose and will include new features.

“We are following the spirit of restoration, but not creating an exact replica,” he said.

Beck and his crew have a renewed appreciation for old-style construction after working inside a 109-year-old building for almost three months.

“When you think they stacked bricks one at a time, by hand, it’s pretty amazing,” Beck said. “They did a lot of things right when they built this.”

The original drawings for the courthouse were on file in the county plat room, Johnson said, and CTA employees relied on those documents as they prepared the new design plans.

The building will include an elevator and a second stairwell exit, both near the parking-lot side.

Johnson and Beck were amazed to discover that the old vaults, where the elevator and stairwell will be located, were the exact right size to accommodate the new equipment.

When complete, the third floor of the building will house the county commissioners and their support staff, the commissioners’ chambers, the county administrator and the grants writer.

The Finance, Human Resources and Geographic Information Systems offices are to be located on the second floor.

Located on the first floor will be elections and recording divisions of the county Clerk and Recorders’ Office, the plat room and a research library.

From start to finish, about 100 people are expected to work on the project, either for Martel Construction or one of its subcontractors, Beck and Johnson said.

The project is 20 percent complete, but Martel is ahead of schedule on certain phases of the work, Johnson said.

Money for the remodeling project came from:

n A $126,300 grant from U.S. Department of Energy for energy-efficient windows.

n A $50,000 grant from the state Historic Preservation Office to pay for restoration of historic bookcases and cabinets. The courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.

n $210,000 from the Flathead County Museum.

n $2.2 million from county revenue sources, set aside in the past seven years.

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or by email at sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.