Courtroom renovation under way

For the past two weeks, normal court happenings have been somewhat disrupted as meetings have been set for new locations. The reason? Renovations of the Wright County courtroom have officially begun.

For the most part, work completed so far has simply been removing old drywall, flooring, even the worn courtroom pews in preparation for the remodel, which will include re-orienting the judge’s bench to the south wall in addition to updating wiring and ductwork. To reduce disruption in the rest of the courthouse, much of this removal has taken place through the third-floor courtroom windows.

Andy Yackle, courthouse building and grounds director, says that in about two weeks they’ll be ready to start putting in new material, rather than just taking out the old. In addition to the room orientation and improved heating, air conditioning, and wiring, this will include new woodwork that will match some of the original courtroom pieces, like the judge’s bench, and restoration of the tin ceiling, which was previously hidden behind two different drop ceilings.

See the February 22 edition of the Monitor for the full story.