Denton County is preparing to hire a contractor to restore the Courthouse-on-the-Square, the stone courthouse in downtown Denton, with an architect's estimate of $4,665,000, contingency included.
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, the Commissioners Court is scheduled to approve the project's specifications, authorize the purchasing department to advertise for proposals and name a three-member staff panel to evaluate them. Commissioners convene at 9 a.m. in Denton, at 1 Courthouse Drive.
What would be done
According to the specifications, the work is meant to follow federal standards for treating historic properties and to keep the building's 1896 appearance and character-defining features. Much of the work targets water getting into the building: the roof and slate would be replaced, copper roofing elements repaired, sandstone and limestone restored, masonry cleaned and repointed, and drainage and waterproofing improved.
Inside, plans call for plaster repairs, renovated restrooms, new or refinished flooring and carpet, tile restoration, woodwork repairs, accessibility improvements, structural repairs, and upgrades to the building's computer and data systems. Historic wood windows and doors would also be restored.
The San Antonio architecture firm Ford Powell & Carson prepared the documents with the county's purchasing and construction management staff. Funding would come from an existing county capital project account, according to the purchasing director's memo.
Timeline
The county's tentative schedule has the request for proposals going out Oct. 30, with advertisements Oct. 31 and Nov. 7. A pre-proposal meeting at the courthouse, 110 W. Hickory St., is set for 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, questions are due Nov. 13, and proposals are due before 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19. The county has until Jan. 3, 2027, to evaluate and rank them.
