The Courthouse Building Boom
A wave of const ruction that is sweeping
over county seats throughout IVortli Caro¬
lina; an<l not a moment too soon.
Back in the I930's. North Carolina
underwent a rash of courthouse build¬
ing and renovation. It was partly stimu¬
lated by Federal funds being pumped
out to offset The Depression.
Now, 35 years later, a new era of
courthouse building is getting under¬
way. The courthouses of 30 years ago
need renovation; the renovations of
30 years ago indicate new courthouses.
And other factors now appear in the
picture, adding a note of urgency. The
Court Reform bill has created demand
for additional courtroom space, rarely
available in present facilities. All over
North Carolina, counties and cities arc
scrambling to find places for the new
courts. In addition arc the factors of
population growth and passage of a
By CLAY WILLIAMS
law establishing a jail inspection pro¬
gram.
Nearly half of the state’s 100 coun¬
ties are in the process of building new
courthouses, county office buildings,
jails, adding more space or improving
existing structures.
Financing
To finance this ambitious under¬
taking. involved counties arc obligating
themselves, through bond issues, tax
levies and various other means, for
over S36 million.
During the last two years, the fol¬
lowing counties have issued bonds for
the afore-mentioned purposes:
Durham — $675,000: Hoke $100,000;
Lincoln — $70,000; Orange $130,000;
Sampson — $88,000: Wake — $6,600,000;
Watauga — $450,000; Pasquotank — $39,-
000; Anson — $70,000; Mecklenburg —
$2,850,000: Wilson— $339,000; New Han¬
over — S 100.000; Jackson — $120,000; For¬
syth — $50,000: Franklin — $200,000; Cra¬
ven — $500,000; Wayne — $200,000; Stan¬
ly — $3,120,000; and Granville — $150,000.
The following have authorized
bonds, but they are yet to be issued:
Alexander — $495,000: Beaufort — $1,-
500.000: Buncombe — $2,830,000; GuilforJ
-$10,000,000; Orange $40,000; Union
$4,100,000; Rutherford - $510,000: and
Ashe $25,000.
Proposed construction in the follow¬
ing counties is scheduled to be financed
by bond issues or other means:
Person - $12,500; Carteret — $58,700;
Cabarrus $300,000; Moore $25,000;
Gaston — $62,390; and Wilkes $182,000.
The following counties issued bonds
during the period of 1964-66:
The soon- to-be constructed city-county go>emmontol center which -ill hondsomely up- dote Guilford County ond Greensboro it on impressive undertokin9
— ond *o it the bond issue by -hich it is being linonced.
THE STATE. January l. 1969
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