MOUNDSVILLE — According to Marshall County Administrator Betsy Frohnapfel, updates to the interior and exterior of the Marshall County Courthouse are projected to finish in the fall, with discussions for a grand re-opening in early September.

The $6.7 million project, performed by contractor SQP Construction Group Inc. of St. Albans, includes installing a new security entrance, electric panel, generator, HVAC units and lights in the building.

Frohnapfel stressed the importance of updating the building, noting that upgrading the courthouse’s technology, particularly the electric panel, was necessary as the building’s technology has not been “completely upgraded” since 1972.

“For us to utilize the technology and the software that keeps being pushed out, we had to do this,” Frohnapfel said. “We just can’t thank people enough for their patience.”

The exterior of the building has also received attention during the project, including redoing concrete pavement outside the building. Before the courthouse officially reopens its doors, Frohnapfel noted that a couple of project items still had to be “worked through.” For the interior of the building, this includes finishing work on walls, balancing the new HVAC system, stripping floors and replacing tiles where water leaks occurred.

Frohnapfel added that sections of the building’s HVAC ductwork still need final installation, and cleanup work is required where some ceiling areas were taken down.

“It’s a lot of little stuff that has to be done, which can take a while,” Frohnapfel said. “We are pushing forward and getting it done.”

Though the fencing around the exterior of the building has been removed, Frohnapfel noted that workers are still finishing the concrete, including power washing and sealing it.

In addition to updates inside the building, Frohnapfel noted a “landscaping component” to the project that has been delayed to October due to recent hot temperatures.

“Since it has been so hot, we have had to push the landscaping back to October,” Frohnapfel said. “That means even when we do the grand opening, the project is not going to be completely finished, but it’s going to look really nice when it is.”

While “upgrades come with pain sometimes,” Frohnapfel said the result of updates would be “much better” for employees and residents.

Frohnapfel pointed to the new security entrance as an element of the project that will improve the experience for visitors to the building by improving traffic flow in and out of the courthouse. She noted that the security area, which once caused congestion on the courthouse’s front porch, was moved to a separate entrance.

“Before the security entrance encapsulated the front porch of the building, which has now been transformed into the front portico,” Frohnapfel said. “There wasn’t enough room for the old entrance, so people had to wait outside. They got bunched up and tried to leave the courthouse from the front door.

This will be much better for both our security personnel and the general public entering the courthouse,” she added.

Frohnapfel thanked courthouse employees and Marshall County residents for their patience while updates closed the main entrance and sections of the courthouse. She noted that the project had “had some delays,” including delays in April 2023 due to supply chain issues, but she looked forward to “getting everything back to normal.”

“I think this project has been more trying on the public,” Frohnapfel noted. “Our employees have been great, and we’ve had to move some offices while work was being done. In the end, it will be much better for our employees and residents, so we just can’t thank people enough for their patience.”