The courthouse has had minimal maintenance in the past 100 years. Courtesy | Facebook

Renovations to the Hillsdale County Courthouse will be complete by November 2024, according to County Commissioner Doug Ingles.

The courthouse renovations started two years ago with the intention of repairing the roof. As the construction progressed, workers from Renaissance Historic Exteriors, the company contracted to do the job, noticed serious structural problems with the stonework, Ingles said.

“Some of the stonework was loose and there was a safety concern that the stones would potentially fall,” Ingles said. “In fact, three years ago we did have a stone fall from the cupola area and land on the roof.” 

According to Ingles, the bell tower and clock tower still need to be repaired.

“It’s been over 100 years with very little maintenance,” Ingles said. “As we get into this renovation project, we find more and more issues that need to be dealt with.”

The once green cupola has been completely recovered and is renewed copper, according to Ingles.

“When you drive by, especially on a sunny day, you’ll see the beauty of the copper,” Ingles said. “The result we’re going to have with this historic courthouse is very incredible.”

Project Manager Jake Verhagen of Renaissance Historic Exteriors said that the scope has changed again because the repairs required were beyond what anybody expected.

According to Verhagen, the scaffolding is still intact because mortar needs to be replaced and the new clock needs to be installed.

The cost of the courthouse renovations will be covered by the money Hillsdale County received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the county’s general fund.

“The major portion of the funds comes from our ARPA money, which is over $8 million, and other money is coming in through our general fund,” Ingles said.

Chairman of Hillsdale County’s Board of Commissioners, Mark Wiley, said the renovation project is important because of the building’s historic registry and the sheer cost of a renovation of this magnitude.

“We’ve preserved something for the county of Hillsdale citizens. I would expect the courthouse to last at least another 100 years without concern for liability because of what we’ve done,” Wiley said.