File photoLauderdale County Courthouse

Lauderdale County Supervisors heard a lengthy facilities study from architect Belinda Stewart and her consulting team on what do about the courthouse during Thursday’s work session.

For several months, supervisors have studied options for a new courthouse at another site or renovation of the current structure that was built in 1905. Stewart, of Belinda Stewart Architects, from Eupora, was selected to tackle the courthouse question in May.

Options include the possibilty of renovating the current site and other preliminary sites, including the old Village Fair Mall, the old Sears site, the federal courthouse (now the post office), the Peavey property, the Courthouse Annex, the old Kate Griffin Middle School and other facilities and sites.

Joining Stewart for Thursday’s presentation of a preliminary draft report were architect and city designer Holly Hawkins, city planning consultant Phil Walker and parking consultant Vicky Gaglianio. Another team member, economist Randall Gross, was unable to attend.

Stewart presented four scenarios of different buildings and told supervisors what her team is capable of doing with each site. Parking, walking distance and safety were the top concerns. Costs of the scenarios ranged from $29.27 million to $49.75 million.

“Parking can be resolved in most scenarios,” Stewart said.

District 2 Supervisor Wayman Newell asked about security issues for each scenario.

“That can be addressed in any of these scenarios,” Stewart said. “That is why we always have an addition in the back of the courthouse.”

Positives for moving the courthouse to the Village Fair Mall were placing it at a gateway to downtown and having space for expansion. A negative was the cost of developing the site, which sits on an old dump. The site graded out as the lowest option, Stewart said.

Hawkins said the positives for the Annex are that it is already owned by the county and is structurally sound. However, she said, it would require significant restoration.

Hawkins said the 22.8-acre Sears building is another major pathway to downtown.

“The con to the Sears building is that it doesn’t have enough size for the facility you need,” Hawkins said. “It’s a better candidate for community development.”

Hawkins said the federal courthouse is well constructed and is an anchor for downtown. However, purchase arrangements with the federal government could be complicated.

One scenario is a two-story addition adjacent to the current courthouse, which would cost $30.9 million and include 127,477 square feet.

“That would strengthen downtown, add parking and the jail would be moved out of downtown,” Hawkins said.

Another scenario involves buying the federal building and moving Chancery and Archives and History to the federal building. The Courthouse Annex would go back to private development. The pricetag for that scenario is $29.27 million and would include 181,871 square feet.

The team will return with a final draft and revisions.