Boone County Offers $4M on First Presbyterian Church Building

Another $1.5 million expected for renovation.

Boone County Judge Robert Hathaway said the county has moved forward with finding a new home for county offices and says he believes the transaction is nearly complete.

Hathaway offered $4 million for the property and the congregation has met and agreed to sell the building to the county. The purchase must be approved by Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the national office of the Presbyterians, before it can be considered final.

Hathaway expects closing on the property to take some time due to the current start of the real estate market. Once the purchase is complete the county looks to bring in an architect to make a plan for remodeling the building. The Quorum Court has approved $1.5 million for renovation.

Hathaway said, “There’s going to be a lot of room needed for these departments. I want to give them all what they need, I can’t give them all what they want.”

Currently county offices are split between the Boone County Courthouse, Old Federal Building, and the Office of Emergency Management. The courthouse has been without its regular heat source for a few months now due to a defunct boiler. Hathaway says they are still making do with electric space heaters. The Old Federal Building had a recent gas leak that sent two employees to the hospital. The leak was fixed and The Veterans Services Office along with the Tax Collector remain in the building, but the Tax Assessor’s Office has moved to the Office of Emergency Management.  

Hathaway expects the process of closing, design, and renovation to put the move in date for the first county offices into the church building at least six months to a year from now.

“I’m just anxious to get moving on this,” Hathaway said, “We’ve been here in the center of the square for a long time, I know a lot of questions have been asked, ‘what we’re going to do with the old courthouse and stuff.’ Hopefully I’ve got plans to maybe try to keep it open and maybe move some offices in here that can do business out of the courthouse. That way we can maintain the square and keep people on the square to.”

Hathaway will join Coleman Taylor on KHOZ’s “Around the Table” program on Friday, February 25^th at 9:20 to discuss this and other county matters. You can also watch the interview on Hometown Television, K26 or on the “Around the Table” Facebook page.