Study: More than half of courthouses and city halls need repairs

ATLANTA - Many of the state&#39;s historic courthouses and city halls desperately need repair and could be condemned if they aren&#39;t renovated, according to a study released Tuesday. <br> <br> The study, ordered by the state and done by Jack Pyburn Incorporated, said it could cost about $466 million to restore or preserve more than 150 Georgia county courthouses and city halls. <br> <br> Statewide, 157 courthouses and 124 city halls were examined. <br> <br> The repair money would have to come from additional sales taxes or state and federal grants, according to the report. <br> <br> About three-quarters of the courthouses and city halls mentioned fail to meet federal requirements for being accessible to the disabled, according to the study, which was commissioned in 1998 by a joint legislative committee and administered by the Department of Natural Resources. Nearly 70 percent of the buildings haven&#39;t been tested for hazardous materials, such as asbestos. <br> <br> The report said the buildings have historical importance as symbols of community pride and anchors for economic stability, and they can also be used for practical purposes by local governments. <br> <br> The study estimated courthouses would cost an average of $2.1 million each for renovations. City halls, which are usually smaller, would cost about $800,000 each to repair. <br> <br> Several counties have recently restored their government buildings. <br> <br> Pulaski County restored its 128-year-old courthouse in downtown Hawkinsville for $2.5 million, paid for with a local sales tax and a $400,000 state grant. <br> <br> Houston County plans a new $48 million courthouse, and Macon City Hall is completing a $30,000 restoration process.