THC approves Gonzales County for Courthouse planning grant

The Texas Historical Commission’s Quarterly Architecture Committee meeting in Tyler on Friday, July 26, brought mixed news for Gonzales County.

While Gonzales County was not named one of the four recipients of full Round XIII Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program restoration grants, the committee did award a $1,095,429 planning grant to the county. Planning grants can be used to develop construction documents for the full restoration of a historic courthouse.

Commissioners are expected at their 9 a.m. Monday, July 29, meeting to discuss the planning grant award and their next steps with representatives from O’Connell Architecture LLC and WJE Engineering, who will also be present to discuss emergency design services and proposed repairs for the Courthouse Annex on Sarah DeWitt Drive.

Gonzales County had submitted a grant application seeking $10 million in full THCPP restoration funding by the May 6 deadline, but there was just a pool of $45 million in funding available this funding cycle and at least 20 applicants that were seeking funding.

County commissioners pledged to commit $3.808 million of its own funding to the restoration project, well over the minimum 15 percent the county is required to put up to qualify for a grant. The total cost of the full restoration project is expected to be around $13.808 million.

In addition to restoration grants granted to Comanche, Kimble, Van Zandt and Willacy counties, the commission gave emergency grants to Refugio and Duval counties and will award grants in September to Donley County for emergency for a previously restored courthouse and Castro for a planning grant.