Shelby County seeks $7M grant to renovate old courthouse building

SHELBY COUNTY, Texas (KTRE) - A nearly 140-year-old county courthouse needs repairs.

According to Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison, the last renovations were done over 30 years ago, funded by a TxDOT grant. However, “as in any old building, you have to maintain it and eventually restore it,” she said. “We have to protect the history of this building for future generations.”

The courthouse is currently used as a museum. Things like the stairwells are detaching from the wall and the building also has minor leaks.

Harbison says the estimated repair cost is $7,011,000 for the courthouse and old jail building.

In April, the Shelby County Commissioners approved to apply for a $7,000,000 grant from the Texas Historical Commission.

If the application is accepted, Judge Harbison said county commissioners approved to pay their matching 15 percent from county funds.

“Probably bring some offices back over here, probably hold some court cases over here,” she said.

They plan to repaint walls, update their elevator and HVAC systems, and make it a destination area.

“I mean, you see your downtown square is beautiful and we’re trying to keep this building in that same shape and make it be a place that people want to make it a destination to come,” she said.

The county should know if the application was approved by July.