Article published April 5, 1957

Completion Of Courthouse Expected By Christmas

Occupancy Set For Next March

By GLEN W. NAVES

Turn key job completion of Spartanburg County's new $2 million courthouse and jail is targeted for around Christmas.

This goal was announced at the site today by Supt. L.A. Chamblee of West Building Co., Winston-Salem, N.C., general contractor.

The current timetable would permit occupancy of the huge modern multi-tiered brick, concrete, glass and steel structure about March 1, 1958.

Approximately 60 days will be required to furnish and equip the 116,710 square feet structure, it was pointed out.

County Board is expected to have furnishings ordered and on the scene by the time the building is completed and turned over by the contractor.

Construction is close to schedule, despite heavy winter rains.

All structural steel is in place and masonry walls and interior work are progressing steadily, it was reported.

The new buildings, bounded by Magnolia, Wofford, Choice and Library streets will replace the county's old government structures which were erected around 1895.

The new courthouse will house county and circuit courts, offices of their judges and quarters for all officials. It will also contain headquarters for agricultural extension , public welfare and several other activities now located in the federal and other buildings about the city.

The $250,000 steel and concrete jail, consisting of two stories, will be a separate structure at the rear of the courthouse to which it will be corridor-connected for convenience and security purposes.

Moving Day will create a consolidatd County Center for the first time in history, Board Chairman Ben E. Gramling pointed out.

Approximately 140 men, close to the peak total, are now working on the numerous simultaneous construction details, Supt. Chamblee reported.

He pointed out that the Christmas completion timetable is contingent upon weather conditions.

The courthouse will have two floors fronting on the Magnolia Street - main entrance - side with three at the rear, as provided by site elevation.

Vast quantities of materials are going into the two buildings.

They include 225,000 face brick, 350,000 common brick, 32,000 concrete blocks, 7,000 cubic yards of poured concrete, 78,000 pieces of structural glazed tile, 30 tons of structural steel, 303 tons of steel reinforcement and 140,000 square feet of reinforced steel mesh.

The building will have aluminum window walls with marble sprandels and immense areas of glass.

Air conditioning, elevator facilities, solicitors' offices, rest rooms, petit and grand jury rooms, attorneys' library room, conference rooms, 8,744 square feet of window area and other up-to-date facilities will make the structure modern throughout. A total of 221 window units will be installed, many of them of immense proportions.

Grounds will be attractively landscaped with a courtyard at the main entrance.

Harold Woodward, AIA, is architect. Richard Robert, Mr. Woodward's associate, is on-the-site resident inspector for the project.