County Commissioner Robert Jones announced at the January 26th Commissioner Meeting that he signed two contracts for work to be done in the courthouse renovations. The contracts were previously approved and accepted by the commissioner on behalf of the county, but are now signed and set to move forward with the plans.

The first contract was signed between Pickens County and Crystal Marble Company Inc. for $546,007. The contract is for work on the marble on the courthouse building. Crystal Marble Company will remove the marble slabs from the front of the building, refurbish them, and then re-fasten the slabs, replacing the steel anchors used to fasten the marble slabs.

In an effort to move forward with another aspect of the project, the second contract signed deals with the back section of the courthouse. Signed between the county and D.H. Griffin Wrecking Company Inc, the contract is for the demolition of the back section of the courthouse and the removal of asbestos in the roof of this section. The contract with D.H. Griffin is for $148,300.

During the January 18th Jasper City Council meeting, Commissioner Jones delivered a presentation to the council on the status of the courthouse project, in addition to requesting the closing of Depot Street for a staging area during the demolition part of the project. “Construction of the building will be anywhere between 18 months and 24 months,” Jones said, responding to a question by Council Woman Anne Morrow. City Council approved closing part of Depot Street for the duration of the demolition. Manager of the project, Thurman Sloan said the demolition has yet to begin, but that he has a meeting tomorrow with D.H. Griffin to discuss plans.

FYN will follow new developments of the project as they occur.