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Courthouse Renovation Project
History
- The Ouray County Courthouse was completed in December 1888 for the sum of $22,336. Before the Courthouse was deemed officially completed, an additional $13,000 was needed to install heating and furnishings. Most of the furnishings are still in use in the Courthouse, including desks, safes, and vaults. The Courthouse is listed as a National Historic Structure under the umbrella of the Ouray Historic District on the State of Colorado Registry (History Colorado).
- The Ouray County Courthouse features richly decorative detailing common with Italianate, Romanesque, Queen Anne, and early Classical Revival architecture popular in the late 1800s.
- The Courthouse has a rich and storied history, including being featured in the 1969 John Wayne Film "True Grit". In 2016, the Courthouse was profiled by the PBS docuseries "Colorado Experience: Courthouses." The Episode can be viewed here.
Project Accomplishments
- In November 2017, Ouray County voters approved a temporary .55% sales tax increase for the funding of the Ouray County Courthouse Restoration and Construction project.
- During the summer of 2018, all Courthouse offices relocated to temporary locations. A general contractor, FCI Constructors, Inc, was hired through a request for proposal process, and worked to finalize building plans and pricing.
- In January 2019, the Board of County Commissioners entered into a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Amendment for the project with FCI Constructors in an amount not to exceed $8,017,695.
- Restoration and construction work began on February 1, 2019. A formal ground breaking ceremony was held on February 14, 2019.
- Courthouse Offices were moved back into the Courthouse during April and May 2020.
- The project was on-time, and on-budget.
Renovation Details:
- Renovations and repairs include: foundation systems improvements; mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems replacements; exterior site work; drainage mitigation and water damage repair; interior repair for all three levels including wood, windows, and doors cornice and cupola, exterior brick restoration; sidewalk and landscape improvements; enhanced ADA compliance, and west (main) entrance porch rebuild. Click here to view the Feasibility Study and Courthouse Master Plan.
Renovation and New Construction Project Documents
- Feasibility Study and Courthouse Master Plan
- Courthouse Historic Structure Assessment & Restoration Plan - 2001 update
How to Support the Courthouse Renovation Project:
Follow along! Each month the County will release a newsletter with project updates, news, and other fun facts. Project Updates is also available on the Ouray County Courthouse Restoration and New Construction Project Facebook Page.