Walker County Plans $170,000 Remediation After Mold, Asbestos Found in Courthouse

Walker County officials say they have both a plan and funding in place to address mold, asbestos, and lead-based paint discovered inside the historic Walker County Courthouse.

The environmental concerns were identified during testing tied to planned renovations of the more than 100-year-old building.

Kayla Johnson, an account manager with Gordian, said environmental testing was conducted as part of the county’s first phase before moving forward with upgrades.

“Once we received those results we did notice that there is mold, asbestos, and lead-based paint throughout the courthouse,” Johnson said.

Areas of Concern

Johnson said primary areas identified include:

• Fourth-floor stairwells near Superior Court

• The attic

• An office space on the third floor

Walker County spokesperson Joe Legge said the county has already budgeted approximately $170,000 for remediation work in the north and south wings of the fourth floor, including stairwells and landings, as well as the third-floor office space.

Public Safety

Legge said the courthouse HVAC system is operating and helping filter air throughout the building. He also noted that the asbestos identified is dormant.

Only contractor work zones will be restricted during remediation, and those areas were already off limits to the public.

“The only areas that will be off limits will be the areas that the contractor will be working in, and those were restricted areas for the public,” Legge said.

Board Chairwoman Angie Teems previously voiced concerns about the building’s safety, noting that tens of thousands of visitors pass through the courthouse each year.

“The average number of visitors per year is 55,000 to 71,000 going through that structure, and at one year not long ago they had 98,000 people go through that structure,” Teems said. “So it’s not safe to the public, it’s not safe to the people who work there — but we are on it, aren’t we?”

Legge said the roof and attic will be addressed in a separate project as courthouse renovations continue.

County officials say remediation work will move forward as part of ongoing efforts to modernize and maintain the historic facility.