ACCOMAC, Va. (Delmarva Now) -- The 1899 courthouse in Accomack County needs nearly $1 million in repairs, according to a landmark preservation expert.
An assessment by Landmark Preservation, LLC, done after a thorough inspection in February, also included the historic Debtor's Prison in the town of Accomac.
That building, dating to about 1782, needs about $200,000 in repairs, the company found.
Greg Jacobs of Landmark Preservation, LLC, presented the findings of both historic buildings to the Accomack County Board of Supervisors.
The board set aside money in the upcoming year's budget for repairs to the courthouse.
Moisture getting into places where it should not be is in large part what caused damage in both buildings, according to the assessment.
The courthouse houses Accomack's Circuit Court as well as the Voter Registrar and other offices and is in heavy use daily, unlike the Debtors Prison, which is a museum opened on occasion.
The courthouse underwent a significant renovation in the 1960s and there was another repair campaign in the 1990s, when a new, asphalt roof was installed.
The assessment report says the courthouse is in very sound structural condition, but has numerous deficiencies that should be addressed in a timely manner to ensure the historic building is well preserved.
"Most of what we are seeing in this building is caused by deficiencies in the envelope of the building," Jacobs said of the Debtors Prison.
Additionally, the old prison has cracking on the east chimney which appears to extend through the building.
One priority is to selectively remove parts of the plaster inside the building in order to get a better picture of the true situation, Jacobs said.
Some problems found in the building result from repairs improperly made in the past, he said.
Supervisor Ron Wolff asked Jacobs about funding sources to help pay for the repairs.
"There are many grants out there, but they are incredibly competitive," Jacobs said, adding that many require a 50-50 match.
Still, having completed an assessment of the buildings is a plus when applying for grants, Jacobs said.
Among problems found during inspection of the courthouse are mortar deterioration and masonry problems; holes made in structural walls during past installation of various systems without proper support; plaster deterioration inside due to water intrusion; deteriorated wooden beams in the attic; open chimneys with cracking; failing joinery around windows and doors; a reddish coating put on the brick to cover up white paint that dripped on the bricks when the cornice above was painted in the past; and problems with a leaky roof and inoperable gutters.
Additionally, a load-bearing joist in the framing directly below the heavy bell in the bell tower, is "completely deteriorated," Jacobs said.
Some of the damage could have been prevented with the right maintenance, according to Jacobs.
"The roof is really beginning to reach the end of its life cycle," Jacobs said, adding that flashing, when it was last done, was not done properly.
"I really can't emphasize too much the importance of keeping the water out of the building. What tends to happen with this much infiltration is you may see some leaking now and some deterioration now, and that is without question going to accelerate over time," Jacobs said.
In answer to a question from Wolff about mold, Jacobs said he did not find much, but did see "a little bit of mildew here and there," as well as fungus on wood in the attic, which, if left unchecked, will continue to cause degradation of the wood, "to the point where there could be a structural risk."
Jacobs advised the board to use a qualification process for any contractors seeking to do the repair work, and to "make sure the contractors that perform the work have a depth of experience dealing with historic material and historic buildings."
He also recommended a waterproofing consultant be part of the process.
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