The Douglas County Commission’s meeting room will have space at the dais for the two new commissioners joining in the new year.
The county estimates construction will be completed on Monday, Jan. 13, in time for newly elected county officials to be sworn in, according to a news release.
Renovations were made to accommodate all the commission’s members as it’s expanding from three to five seats. Additionally, repairs were made to areas damaged by an October 2022 fire sprinkler flood.
According to the release, renovation highlights include:
• “The layout of the room is being restored to its original configuration, based on a 1913 photo. The dais has been relocated to the south wall where it now faces the main entrance. It has been expanded to accommodate five commissioners and is now accessible” in compliance with the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
• “The benches have been relocated, so the entrance will be at the back of the room, and padding will be added to the benches;
• Woodwork has been removed, restored, and repositioned inside the room, including the dais, benches and railings. The back board and railings on the small jury box are historic and have been preserved;
• The wood flooring was stripped and refinished to look like the original flooring;
• The ceiling has been finished in an acoustical plaster product to emulate the original plaster installation while improving the room’s acoustics. Decorative plaster medallions, which had been removed, were reproduced and installed on the ceiling. The new ceiling brings the room back to its original historic appearance;
• Microscopic investigation was performed on all surfaces in the room to determine original colors, and the room was painted accordingly;
• A new chandelier and wall sconces were manufactured and installed by a St. Louis company to match the original ones. These light fixtures emulate the original ones that were operated by gas in 1904;
• A small meeting room has been added on the south side of the room under the balcony. The space likely was used by judges or for jury deliberation when it was a courtroom; and
• New audio-visual equipment is being installed. This includes a 165-inch screen and acoustic wall panels. The panels will feature scenic photos of Douglas County by local photographers.”
The commission in December 2023 approved an estimated budget of $1.36 million for the project.
An estimated $172,000 in state tax credits will be awarded to the county for the historic preservation part of the project, according to the release, and the county is using $135,000 in insurance settlement money to repair and replace items damaged by the flooding. Treanor Architects and B.A. Green Construction performed the design and construction.
Commissioners have been meeting at the county’s public works building, 3755 E. 25th St., while the renovations have been underway.
The meeting room is on the second floor of the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. Built in 1904, the courthouse is listed on both national and state registries of historic places, and the project aimed to preserve the integrity of the building while adding modern technology.
In addition to county staff, commission and community meetings, drug court program graduations, law enforcement ceremonies, jury selection, retirement celebrations and other events are also held in the meeting room.
The commission’s first regular meeting of 2025 will be Wednesday, Jan. 15.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
