7am News, Sports and Obits
Latest WGIL news
Click to play or
Right click and "Save Target As" to download
Click for Galesburg, Illinois Forecast
Home - Cancellations - Community Events - Contact Us - Mornings - News - Obituaries - Pictures - Programs - Special Events Audio - Sports - Weather
Architect: Knox County Courthouse "Inefficient"
It's safe to say that the Knox County Courthouse has had its problems over the years -- but an engineer says safety is the main problem.

The Knox County Board Wednesday night heard a report on the condition of the Courthouse. The word architect Allen Varney III kept using to describe the Courthouse is inefficient in terms of the use of space, and has proposed, though nothing is official, that a six-thousand square foot addition be built to the courthouse, that -- along with improvements to the current courthouse, could cost as much as $16 million.

Varney, from Iowa-based firm Ament, Inc., says one of the main concerns is safety, and having more than one good way to get out of the building. "Right now you have one, semi-good exit -- let's put it that way -- which is the center stairway, and the other...is identified...as Fire Escape," Varney said. "That's not an acceptable exit in terms of the codes nowadays."

Varney also says an addition would also allow for the courthouse to be brought up to Americans With Disabilities Act standards, and would allow for better restroom facilities and could also bring the current courthouse back up to a historical yet more efficient look. Problem is, Varney says, it could also cost the county the same amount of money to build new.

County Board members say while nothing will be done now, there will come a point when some hard decisions will have to be made.
08 27 08 by Newsroom
News management powered by Xpression News

Click here for the WGIL News Archive

Click here for national news

The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.