Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Representatives from Architexas - Architecture, Planning and Historic Preservation, Inc. - were recently on hand taking notes and touring every nook and cranny of the historic Coryell County Courthouse as they worked on developing a Master Plan for the structure.
In a previous comment, Coryell County Attorney Brandon Belt described the need for such a document. “A Master Plan is required to apply for grant funds to work on the courthouse. The purpose of a Master Plan is to evaluate the current state of the courthouse and set priorities for rehabilitating and maintaining the building,” Belt said.
In May of this year, the Coryell Commissioners Court selected the top three respondents, Architexas, O’Connell, and Komatsu for the courthouse Master Plan with interviews with each firm held on June 6. The Coryell County Historical Commission was asked to be present at each of the interviews. At the Commissioner Court meeting held on June 11, a representative from the Coryell County Historical Commission, Sherry Lawrence, addressed the court with her observations on each of the three firms.
Danny Corbett, Chairman of the Coryell County Historical Association, said, “Having a courthouse Master Plan is imperative should the county seek grant funds from the Texas Historical Commission, whether it be a full restoration grant or even an emergency grant for things such as a leaky roof. The plan will provide a roadmap for maintenance and preservation of this historic resource in the future.”
The Coryell Commissioners Court selected the top 3 respondents, Architexas, O’Connell, and Komatsu for the courthouse Master Plan, which they interviewed with each firm on June 6. The Coryell County Historical Commission was asked to be present at each of the interviews. At the Commissioner Court meeting held on June 11, a representative from the Coryell County Historical Commission, Sherry Lawrence, addressed the court with her observations on each of the three firms.
Judge Roger Miller asked Lawrence to share her assessment of the proposed firms. “After three very good presentations in this important endeavor, I really don’t think we could go wrong in the companies we were considering, but my opinion, and also that of Danny Corbett, who is our historical commission chairman, feel like the Architexas company would probably be the best choice. I was impressed with the fact that they had worked on two Dodson courthouses already and had successfully obtained an approved master plan with those courthouses.” [Several courthouses in Texas were built by architect Wesley Dodson].
Lawrence continued, “The other thing I was impressed with was that they [Architexas] seemed, just off the top of their heads, to come up with some outside funding possibilities for our courthouse restoration and repairs – some federal grants, TxDOT, universities, philanthropists, and they seemed to have those names at hand, better than the other two. Their presentation brought a lot of important things to light.”
The unanimous decision of the commissioners was to accept the proposal made by the Architexas firm to develop the plan. On July 23, the commissioners voted to accept the bid from Architexas at a cost of $65,000.
At the Aug. 13 commissioners court meeting, a representative of Architexas, Alexis McKinney, addressed the court with the estimated project schedule for the completion of the Master Plan and spoke about the Matterport laser imaging that was being conducted throughout the building to map each floor.
“It’s taking a point with 3-D imaging, and then it’s taking photos of the courthouse, and we’re able to use it to take measurements. It’s better than us spending a week measuring everything to get a floor plan. It gets us 75% of the way out there,” McKinney said.
McKinney said that they are also trying to gather historic photos of the courthouse inside and out to try to piece together the history of the structure. She said that they are working closely with the Texas State Historical Commission in Austin and locally with the Coryell County Historical Commission.
Concerning the laser scanning of each room in the courthouse on each floor, McKinney said, “We’re doing this to discover the current space layout so that we can get an accurate floor plan. This is step one - we need a floor plan.”
In a recent email, McKinney said, “Architexas, the structural engineer and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineer completed a building assessment. This includes documenting the existing components of the building, their condition, and any recommended repair or maintenance in the future. We also did drone videos of the roof, and the videos are fantastic. The files are huge, but I hope to share a YouTube link with you in the future.”
“The architectural assessment will be ongoing as we didn't make it to the third floor on this visit but will schedule a follow up visit. Architexas also spoke with department heads to review current space needs for occupants, storage, and any known growth in the future. We will gather this data and send it back to the county for comment. From this ‘programming assessment,’ we will develop a proposed floor plan that allows for expected department growth. There are parts of the courthouse that are underutilized currently, and this programming exercise will try to re-activate them efficiently,” she said.
McKinney continued, “The team reviewed the condition of the cupola, attic framing, structural systems, and generally got a better understanding of changes to the courthouse over time. In general, it is in excellent condition with little damage to the cinder concrete used for the concrete floor systems. There is a moisture concern to the mortar in the basement that we will study further and make recommendations for correction.”
Architexas provides a broad range of services encompassing architecture, planning, and historic preservation. With every project, the firm follows a process that begins with researching and understanding the context — the physical, historical, and programmatic conditions — within which they will be working. Each project is seen as an opportunity to create a carefully crafted response to a unique set of circumstances and client aspirations.
Over the next several months, the Architexas representatives will continue to visit the Coryell County Courthouse where they will assess the structure and make recommendations of how to restore and improve the working courthouse.
The Architexas website states, “Although our projects are realized with a profound respect for the past and a rational understanding of present needs, they ultimately look to the future by serving the individuals and communities that will experience them for generations to come.”
The Master Plan is estimated to be finalized with the Texas Historical Commission in July of 2025.
