We have overcome many unexpected challenges with the courthouse restoration, and I’m sure there will be more. One good surprise was the fact that the original elevator installers did not cut the center stair flight support structures to build the original elevator tower. The architect and engineers assumed it was cut, because we could see the stairs were off-center and about 14 inches narrow on that side. With demolition, we found that the surviving edge was deeply embedded in concrete. We were able to chisel the concrete away. In the first photo you can see the old concrete around the super structure of the stair. A couple of the cast stair treads were found broken. Overall, it came out of its concrete tomb in great shape.
– Ben Carpenter, Perry County Commissioner
Originally posted to Facebook
