Olney Courthouse gets new windows

Crews installed windows at the old City Hall building on South Grand Avenue last week as part of a plan to restore the crumbling facade of the old City Hall building to the original design and provide a better working environment for its County tenants.

The new windows are the first step in the Olney Economic Development Corporation’s plan to spend approximately $400,000 to rehabilitate the historic building to better utilize more of the office space and to eventually re-open its large ballroom and gymnasium for community activities. The century-old building will get new central heating and cooling systems, and upgraded flooring as well.

The second floor has been unused for decades due to water damage from a leaking roof, as well as neglect, OEDC executive director Tom Parker said.

Last year, crews removed the failed precast moldings and columns last week and will replace them with identical fixtures made with modern materials that are guaranteed up to 25 years.

The City closed the front entrance of the century-old building in May of 2023 as the City Council considered what to do about falling pieces of stone after a wind rain storm knocked them loose. The City blocked off the entrance to 117 S. Grand Ave. with cones and warning signs but city officials remained concerned that those measures did not stop the curious from standing underneath the unstable area.

The City Council ultimately determined that repairing the building would cost more than it could afford, and Council members voted earlier this year to transfer the title of the building to the OEDC, which is funded by a portion of local sales tax revenue and maintains and leases several local buildings.

The red brick building, circa 1926, still houses the Young County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, and the Young County Adult Probation Office, as well as the Olney Police dispatch center, and police department offices.

Mr. Parker recently re-negotiated the County’s lease agreement to raise rental rates to help offset the cost of the upgrades and allow for a more structured working agreement.

The board also discussed possible plans to lease the space currently occupied by the police department to other government agencies including the County Probation Department, DPS, and other state and federal services.

The Olney Police Department will relocate to its new headquarters beside the Civic Center at the end of this month.