Mahoning County Courthouse restoration will be costly

CANFIELD

A-century-old Mahoning County landmark continues to deteriorate at an accelerated rate, and officials are scrambling to find funds after being put on a waiting list for federal stimulus money.

The Mahoning County Courthouse on the corner of Market and Front Streets needs about $10 million in repairs and restoration to keep it from crumbling, said Robert Mastriana of 4M and Ameriseal Restoration LLC of Akron, which examined the outside of the building.

At their Wednesday meeting, county commissioners are expected to reallocate $177,000 of existing capital funds to remove the courthouse statue, said county Administer George Tablack.

Tablack was part of a Monday morning meeting of officials and 4M at the Canfield regional office of U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-6th.

The two-ton courthouse statue depicts three figures, is 15 feet tall, 40 feet long — and has little left to support it except a pedestal weakened by corroding steel-support beams.

The statue removal is the first step of the $1.6 million first phase of the courthouse restoration, which would also include the replacement of 22 steel beams held in a state of tension until phase two can begin, Mastriana said.

“We have seen the gaps go from half an inch to one-and-a-half inch gaps in these huge stone slabs. We’re not sure if that’s a direct result of the [June 23] earthquake,” Mastriana said.

Read more in Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com