The fire that destroyed the Jefferson County Courthouse in the City of Madison, Indiana, on May 20, 2009, may have struck a blow to the heart of the community, but it also ignited a unified effort among its residents and their supporters to rebuild this beloved part of a National Historic Landmark District.

With fire and water having severely damaged the Courthouse, long-term exposure to the elements threatened more damage to the structure, which houses county courtrooms, staff offices, legislative offices, and judicial staff spaces. The Jefferson County Commissioners turned to American Structurepoint, Inc., to provide investigative/forensic services and assess the damage to the courthouse roof and its other key interior and exterior structural components. A complete forensic investigation and mold remediation was necessary to salvage the structure, which dates back to 1854.

After the investigation was complete, the commissioners rehired American Strucutrepoint and their teaming partners, which included historic preservation consultant Architecture Trio, Inc., MEP engineer R.E. Diamond & Associates, Inc., and Edificio Specifications, Inc., for work during phase two – the restoration process.

“It was the intent of our team and the Commissioners to protect the integrity of the courthouse under the dire resultant conditions of the fire,” says American Structurepoint Architect Rob Creviston. “We were charged with the endeavor to restore this significant public building for present and future generations, and we utilized all resources available to us to make this possible.”

While restoring the Courthouse back to its original beauty, the team uncovered some crown molding and plaster work above the third floor ceiling, portions of which were salvaged and restored. Missing pieces were recreated to match the original features. In addition, the upper-floor windows were custom-built with true divided lite panes to replace windows that had been installed during a 1960’s remodeling effort.

In July of 2011, contractors completed the restoration of the Courthouse. In the end, all construction activities were completed for a cost of approximately $6 million. The Jefferson County Courthouse was rededicated and reopened to the public during a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 26, 2011. And thus, the heart of the community was fully restored.