The condition of the Warren County building has inspired complaints.
Warren County's halls of justice are finally getting a fresh coat of paint.
The condition of the county courthouse has long been the subject of gripes, but at least one aspect -- the building's weathered exterior -- will soon be addressed.
Freeholders on Wednesday approved a $344,000 contract for repainting, a process the county has said was held up at least a year by a state historic commission that was concerned about retaining the building's original materials.
The Warren County Court House was built in 1826 and, after several additions and renovations, looks over the park in the center of Belvidere. Its white columns and clock tower are cracked and peeling, however, and have been for years.
Moving forward with the work is "a very big deal," Freeholder Director Jason Sarnoski said at Wednesday's meeting.
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This year's $102.6 million county budget set aside $2 million specifically for courthouse renovations. The windows and boilers have previously been replaced. The county and state also agreed last year to split the costs of rearranging a courtroom that was deemed unconstitutional after a renovation.
The adjacent Courthouse Annex, which houses the Warren County Prosecutor's Office, was finished last year after a $4.3 million refitting.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.