For people who live in Guilford County and think that court cases move through the court system slowly, it might seem as though the only thing slower is the movement of the elevators in the counties’ courthouses in downtown Greensboro and downtown High Point.
Several years ago, Guilford County officials began discussing the need to fix the very old and very slow elevators – something courthouse users have wanted to see for many years.
At a Thursday, July 18 work session held by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, the board finally got some good news regarding the project. Guilford County Facilities and Property Management Director Eric Hilton reported that the repair project was getting underway and the elevators should be able to be repaired without too much disruption to activity in the courthouses.
Guilford County government has the responsibility of providing useable and acceptable facilities for the county’s court system, and, over the years, those who work in and frequent the two courthouses have presented numerous complaints including mold, leaky roofs and windows and dilapidated structures in some areas.
In a famous incident over a decade ago, a Guilford County judge sent summonses to the Guilford County commissioners for not addressing facilities problems and, in a surreal moment right before a county commissioners meeting, a sheriff’s deputy handed the summonses to each commissioner, accusing them of neglecting their legal duty to maintain adequate court facilities.
Guilford County has addressed many of the court system’s concerns over the past decade at the two courthouses with major renovation and repair projects; however, the ancient elevators in the two buildings are only now being updated – and those who visit the courthouse either get a lot healthier by frequently using the stairs or get a lot of frustration by trying to wait for long periods of time to catch the elevators.
That’s when the elevators are working at all.
They are in such poor condition at both courthouses that they often breakdown – which further exacerbates the situation.
Slow county elevators – including ones like the elevator in the Old Guilford County Court House in Greensboro – have been a common problem in Guilford County government buildings for years.
For much of June of 2023, only one elevator in the county courthouse in Greensboro was working – which meant that the remaining elevator in that area was over worked it took a very long time to call and ride it.
And it was frequently very crowded as well.
At the July 18, 2024 work session, the commissioners got word that the problems for the elevators used by judicial employees, attorneys, police officers, jurors, criminals, court reporters and others alike are being addressed.
Hilton said the renovation project would be conducted strategically, with workers only updating one elevator at each courthouse at a time.
Over the years, in many cases, those who are unaware of elevators speeds have waited for a long time at the elevator doors before finally just deciding to use the stairs, while many who work in the courthouse – and who are therefore well aware of the problem – have just automatically headed straight for the stairs every time.
In July of last year, Guilford County held a Zoom meeting to prepare for requests for bids regarding the elevators in the courthouses.
Hilton’s update at the July 18 afternoon work session in the Old Guilford County Court House this week was part of a larger presentation updating the commissioners on multiple county construction and repair projects.
One of those – which has been a real headache for court goers, has been the renovation of the governmental plaza in front of the courthouse and the parking deck beneath the plaza. The plaza project is going to cost over $8 million and won’t be finished until next summer. Due to that work, many court goers now have to climb a very long and steep stairwell to gain entry to the courthouse.
The project has also reduced available parking spaces around the courthouse in Greensboro.
The nine Guilford County commissioners have the prime nine underground spaces reserved for them right next to the underground entrance to the Old Guilford County Court House, and one of the real tragedies that came up at the work session Thursday is that, due to the repairs and renovations, the choice parking places of three county commissioners have had to be temporarily relocated.
Guilford County has been engaged in a major and expensive facilities renovation effort over the last decade and a half. The county has poured money year after year into the Human Services building in High Point, and, about six years ago, the Old Guilford County Court House in downtown Greensboro got a total renovation and a massive cleaning. That work was done in part to prepare the building for a giant,100-year birthday party that was planned for 2020 – however, COVID happened and therefore that grand celebration never did.
Wow, maybe if any accountability was used, money might be available for things such as elevators instead of vote buying personal pet projects. But, that’s not how Guilford County or Greensboro city rolls.
“Several years ago, Guilford County officials began discussing the need to fix the very old and very slow elevators – something courthouse users have wanted to see for many years.”
Thank you for pointing this out Scott. Apparently junkets to vacation locations and funding pet (read: non-profit) projects have been much more important then this.
I think falls into the “throw them a bone” category in the “professional politicians” handbook. Now we’ll be waiting a couple of years while they find MWBE company to give it too.