COLUMBIANA CO. Fixing up windows becomes priority

A federal loan is being considered to pay for the work at the courthouse.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Replacing rotting, energy-robbing windows at Columbiana County's historical courthouse is high on the priority list for county Commissioner Jim Hoppel, who oversees county buildings.
Most of the large, arched windows in the 1872 sandstone structure are decades old and in poor condition, said Hoppel, who added that he doesn't know whether any of the windows are original.
Regardless of age, most of the windows are badly deteriorated.
"The frames are rotten," Hoppel said. "We have windows ready to fall out."
In addition, the single-pane windows offer none of the energy conservation features of modern windows, resulting in higher heating and cooling bills for the three-story building, Hoppel said.
Cost estimate
The preliminary estimate for the cost of new windows and installation is $500,000.
That rough figure takes into account putting in aluminum-framed windows that would closely resemble the 19th-century style of the windows now in the building.
Hoppel acknowledged that putting in replacement windows that look like the originals probably will cost more. But he and other county officials have noted the importance of retaining the building's historical character.
Hoppel said he's trying to get a more detailed estimate that can be used to apply for a low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which sometimes provides aid for rural development projects.
It's unlikely that a loan could be secured in time for work to begin this year. Hoppel said he's hopeful, however, that the windows can be replaced sometime in 2004.
Additional projects
Window replacement is only one improvement planned.
The county common pleas judges are awaiting USDA approval on a loan for an estimated $2.7 million improvement project. The undertaking would include remodeling the courthouse's second-floor courtrooms and installing a new roof on the leak-prone courthouse.
The 30-year, 4.6 percent loan would be repaid with a court fund fueled by federal reimbursement dollars that amount to more than $100,000 annually.
The money is reimbursement for expenses the court incurs in handling certain child-welfare matters, such as support orders.