Westmoreland courthouse garage project moves to building phase

Demolition of the two-story parking garage under the Westmoreland County Courthouse is complete, and construction of a new structure will begin Aug. 12.

Greg McCloskey, the director of county operations, said Friday the $7 million project that started in April is on budget. It is, however, several weeks behind schedule, and the completion date has been pushed back into November.

“By late November or early December, we will have access to the front … entrance, and, by December, the garage will be ready for parking,” McCloskey said.

County officials in March cordoned off Courtyard Square and the main entrance to the courthouse complex to allow work crews to demolish the underground garage. An engineering report found the structure was in danger of collapse because of water damage sustained over the preceding decades.

Since April, access to the building has been restricted to two back entrances on Pennsylvania Avenue and through a door into the old courthouse building on Main Street, which had been closed to the public for about 30 years.

Excavation and demolition of the garage took nearly four months, leaving a 25-foot hole in front of the courthouse. Work crews identified additional water damage to footers and beams supporting the structure and to the retaining walls lining Main and Otterman streets, McCloskey said.

New retaining walls will be built.

Finishing touches to the courtyard plaza — including new trees, shaded areas and benches — will be installed next spring, McCloskey said.