Belmont County Courthouse will soon see ADA compliant updates. (T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA)

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – The Belmont County Courthouse plaza will soon be getting a facelift.

What will soon be named the “Belmont County Veterans Plaza” will receive critical ADA accessibility updates.

Commissioner J.P. Dutton said that the board of commissioners thought the name would be fitting because of the veterans community, not just in Belmont County specifically, but the veterans community the entire Ohio Valley.

“There’s been such a high percentage of residents in Belmont County that have served this nation. And we want to recognize that,” Dutton said. “It’ll be named the Belmont County Veterans Plaza in recognition of the efforts of so many that have sacrificed for all of our freedom.”

He added that the beginnings of this project goes back several years with the beginning stages being in 2017.

“We did really substantial work restoring the exterior of the courthouse during then – there was some damage done to the courthouse plaza just because of some of the crane work that was needed for that project. And at that time, the board really started looking at wanting to address a little bit of this damage, but also just made them reexamine the front of the courthouse,” Dutton said. “We were made aware of a funding opportunity through the Ohio Department of Transportation to do a project like that. And we started pursuing this grant opportunity.

“We were unsuccessful for the first time, so we went back to the drawing board, and some of the guidance we were given is that we needed to broaden the scope of the project and look at some areas that we hadn’t looked at before. So we did that and after resubmitting, reapplying and trying, we did end up being successful, receiving funding for the project.”

He added that the ODOT grant is approximately $1.6 million and will cover 95% of the allowable construction costs.

“That means that the county from the local level needs to pay for all the design and engineering work that needs to be done for a project like this,” Dutton said. “If there’s additional things we add to the project, obviously they’re not covered by the grant, but this is a pretty substantial project.”

He said that the board sought bids twice last year with the first time receiving zero bids. The second time the board received one bid, but it was over the board’s estimate so it declined the bid.

“It’s a little bit different because it’s an ODOT project, it goes out through the ODOT process. And this project is a little bit different than, you know, repaving Interstate 70 or projects like that. So obviously it’s more of refined brick work, sidewalk work and those types of things,” Dutton said. “We’ve been working with ODOT, which we’ve made a few changes to the bid and going to be putting that out for application here very soon with the hopes of getting some good bids and picking a successful bidder.”

Dutton added that although it is tentative, construction is planned to begin on June 1 and last for roughly a year.

Built in 1886, the Belmont County Courthouse is in need of an ADA compliant update.

Dutton said that this project will be heavy on Ada accessibility in terms of curb cuts and sidewalk slopes from the entirety front of the courthouse as well as extending around the block to the courthouse’s annex building.

“Anytime you’re doing work on the courthouse, obviously the intention is that that work is then done for decades to come. That’s what the intention was on the exterior renovation work of the courthouse. And that would be the same with this plaza,” Dutton said. “What really drove this project is the grant opportunity and the ability to use outside funding to take on a project like this. The courthouse is a very special asset for Belmont County, and it’s something that we want to make sure that we’re taking care of, for generations to come.”