Westmoreland courthouse structural concerns identified in January; collapse threat not imminent

Engineers in late January found deteriorating structural beams in a parking garage below the Westmoreland County Courthouse in downtown Greensburg. County officials said Tuesday that while urgency is needed to make repairs, there is no imminent threat of collapse.

Core samples taken in October found evidence of deteriorating beams from damage caused by leaking water and chemicals from the public courtyard above the garage, according to Greg McCloskey, the county’s public works director.

“The report said it was time to address this, but they couldn’t tell us if it would collapse or, if it would collapse, when it would collapse,” he said.

Commissioners on Tuesday approved what is expected to be an emergency, six-month project that could cost $7 million to repair the parking structure. The courthouse’s primary Main Street entrance and the courtyard in front of the government complex will close Wednesday.

Access to the courthouse will through a formerly shuttered entrance on Main Street at the rotunda section of the building. Two additional doors on each side of Pennsylvania Avenue will remain open for employees and visitors.

“We took a preemptive approach to make sure this parking garage is safe. We’re doing our due diligence,” said Commissioner Sean Kertes.

Carl Walker Construction Inc. was hired to make the repairs. The company is expected to dig down about 35 feet to access the parking structure through Courtyard Square, where new support beams will be installed and other repairs made to restore the two-level garage is safe, officials said.

McCloskey said the deterioration is a continuation of damage identified in 2019 when concrete sections over the upper parking level crashed to the ground. Repairs were made at a cost of $70,000 and monitoring of the garage’s support structure continued, he said.

Ongoing monitoring found there was no urgency of a collapse but rust, scaling and other signs of deterioration have since appeared and prompted engineers to recommend repairs be immediately undertaken, McCloskey said.

Work will begin Wednesday when temporary fencing will be erected to cordon off the courtyard.

The courtyard, which is considered a county park, has for decades been a gathering spot for protests, demonstrations and recreation. Commissioners said it will reconfigured as part of the project.

Planters, which served as barriers to street traffic but led to the water issues in the parking structure below, will be permanently removed, McCloskey said. A grassy area will be retained but courtyard designs are still being finalized, he said.

The garage, which is used by elected officials, department heads and other top ranking county workers, will remain closed during the construction. Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to lease 182 parking spots throughout Greensburg for those displaced employees and officials.

Taxpayers will pay $10,500 monthly to lease 148 parking spots in four Greensburg city-owned lots and another 34 spots in a privately-owned lot on Otterman Street.

“This is going to be a major inconvenience for our employees and visitors coming to the courthouse and the city of Greensburg, but safety comes first,” said Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher.

Commissioners said they expect to announce a plan this week to identify parking options for jurors and other visitors to the courthouse.

The county will use a portion of the $105 million it received from the American Rescue Plan coronavirus relief funds to pay for the garage repairs.

“We are very blessed to have this ARP money because we would have to borrow money or use some other funding source to make this a reality,” Kertes said. “It’s basically a perfect storm about how this came together.”