Current:Home > Contact-usA federal courthouse reopens in Mississippi after renovations to remove mold-InfoLens
A federal courthouse reopens in Mississippi after renovations to remove mold
View Date:2024-12-23 10:49:30
ABERDEEN, Miss. (AP) — A federal courthouse in north Mississippi is reopening after extensive renovations to eliminate mold, increase energy efficiency and update technology.
Court cases were starting to be heard Tuesday in the Thomas G. Abernethy Federal Building in Aberdeen, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported. A reopening ceremony for the updated 51-year-old building will take place Oct. 8.
“We are glad to be back,” said U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock. “It’s been like Christmas around here. We are all opening boxes of stuff we didn’t remember having.”
Poor air quality became a problem about 10 years ago, when employees became ill.
The General Services Administration installed commercial dehumidifiers that helped for a few weeks, but the musty smell returned. The tipping point came with the discovery of mold in late 2017.
Months after holding a meeting to explain problems to the public, court officials fled the building in February 2018. By that summer, an independent inspection confirmed that the mold infestation made the three-story building uninhabitable.
Workers found mold in air ducts and behind paneling.
“They pretty quickly determined that a significant source of water causing the mold was the old windows,” Aycock said.
When paneling was removed in the offices of Aycock and Senior U.S. District Judge Glen Davidson, workers discovered windows that had been covered with bookcases. Mold grew between the windows and the paneling.
“I later learned that there was a higher concentration of mold four feet behind my desk chair than anywhere in the building,” Aycock said. “But I now have new windows.”
All the old single-pane windows were replaced with energy-efficient models. Ductwork for heating and cooling was replaced, as were mechanical systems.
“When we came in here two years ago for a tour, there was nothing but ducts and bare walls,” said Magistrate David Sanders. “It was hard to determine where you were.”
Besides replacing computers and adding high-speed internet connections, the project also included new security cameras, updated sound systems and energy-efficient lighting.
While courts were exiled from the building, they moved temporarily at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court down the road. Trials were shifted to the federal courthouse in Oxford. But there was always a scheduling problem, with five or more judges and three courtrooms.
Although the final cost of renovations is not yet known, Aycock said it will exceed the $24 million allocation.
veryGood! (2)
Related
- Federal judge denies request to block measure revoking Arkansas casino license
- Jersey Shore's Angelina Pivarnick Reveals Why She Won't Have Bridesmaids in Upcoming Wedding
- Miranda Lambert calls out fan T-shirt amid selfie controversy: 'Shoot tequila, not selfies'
- This Week in Clean Economy: China Is Leading the Race for Clean Energy Jobs
- Why Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams May Be Rejoining the George R.R. Martin Universe
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Faces New Drilling Risk from Congress
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Spotify deal unravels after just one series
- Kansas doctor dies while saving his daughter from drowning on rafting trip in Colorado
- Halle Berry surprises crowd in iconic 2002 Elie Saab gown from her historic Oscar win
- Washington state stockpiles thousands of abortion pills
Ranking
- 'Serial swatter': 18-year-old pleads guilty to making nearly 400 bomb threats, mass shooting calls
- Get $148 J.Crew Jeans for $19, a $118 Dress for $28 and More Mind-Blowing Deals
- Global Warming Is Changing the Winds Off Antarctica, Driving Ice Melt
- Hostage freed after years in Africa recounts ordeal and frustrations with U.S. response
- Will Trump curb transgender rights? After election, community prepares for worst
- Bill Barr condemns alleged Trump conduct, but says I don't like the idea of a former president serving time
- Oceans Are Melting Glaciers from Below Much Faster than Predicted, Study Finds
- How an abortion pill ruling could threaten the FDA's regulatory authority
Recommendation
-
Daniele Rustioni to become Metropolitan Opera’s principal guest conductor
-
Taylor Swift Says She's Never Been Happier in Comments Made More Than a Month After Joe Alwyn Breakup
-
10 Cooling Must-Haves You Need if It’s Too Hot for You To Fall Asleep
-
Teens, trust and the ethics of ChatGPT: A bold wish list for WHO as it turns 75
-
When does Spirit Christmas open? What to know about Spirit Halloween’s new holiday venture
-
The future availability of abortion pills remains uncertain after conflicting rulings
-
Greenland’s Melting: Heat Waves Are Changing the Landscape Before Their Eyes
-
'You forget to eat': How Ozempic went from diabetes medicine to blockbuster diet drug