May 26, 2010 in City

Spokane County OKs thousands in courthouse repairs

Wind damage to roof ornament prompts fix for unrestored finials
By The Spokesman-Review
 
Tags:county commissionerselevatorsfinialhistoric landmarkjailrepairsrestorationRon Oscarsonspokane county courthouse
Colin Mulvany photo

Cephas Buck, left, of Spokane County building maintenance, and Facilities Director Ron Oscarson examine a finial that blew off the courthouse roof last week.
(Full-size photo)

By the numbers

$60,000: Amount appropriated by the county to repair courthouse finials and make other county campus fixes

8: Number of finials restored in 2007-’08 renovation

14: Courthouse finials not included in 2007-’08 renovation

$30,000: Estimated cost of planned repairs to jail elevators

A decorative metal finial – sort of a giant hood ornament – was blown off the roof of the Spokane County courthouse last Wednesday night.

A nearly 5-foot chunk of turret-topping curlicues broke away from the 7-foot finial and landed on a sidewalk at the southwest corner of the historic landmark courthouse sometime between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday.

On Tuesday, county commissioners ponied up $60,000 to repair the shattered finial and others in danger of falling. Several other pressing problems also are to be fixed.

Facilities Director Ron Oscarson estimated the fallen finial, which consists of sheet metal art on a heavy galvanized iron pipe, weighs 40 to 45 pounds. No one was injured and there appears to have been no damage to the courthouse roof.

Oscarson said the finial pipe had been placed around a narrower pipe, anchored to the roof, that had rusted away. The finial was one of 14 on the main courthouse roof that weren’t included in a 2007-’08 restoration of eight finials on the courthouse tower.

Oscarson told commissioners Tuesday that a preliminary examination with binoculars showed three finials seemed to be leaning and four showed rust damage.

If a closer inspection shows no other problems, Oscarson thinks the unrestored finials might be upgraded with stainless steel pipe for approximately $25,000 – coincidentally the same as the county’s insurance deductible.

Commissioners also approved an estimated $30,000 in repairs on faulty jail elevators, which impair safety when they’re not available.

A potentially leaky facade on the Public Safety Building and a buckling deck on the Public Works Building also are to be repaired.

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One comment on this story so far. Add yours!

  • lewis8457 on May 26 at 7:25 a.m.

    Back in 2002 when I was working at the courthouse one night when we were cleaning the entire second floor in the south west corner of courthouse collapsed into the first floor offices. Lucky no one was killed.

    I am surprised our county commissioners haven’t decided to make us build brand new courthouse. I mean after all it is only our money.

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