County project freshening old office buildings

Clarendon’s Courthouse Square will look a little spiffier when Donley County completes two projects currently underway on Sully Street.

The former Hall Income Tax office and the old appraisal district building are both receiving facelifts designed by A Fine Feathered Nest and brought to life by Pearson Construction.

County Judge John Howard said the project is costing the county about $60,000 and is intended to approve the appearance of the square.

“It looked a little like a slum,” Howard said of the two plain, non-descript structures.

Chriss Clifford drew up designs to improve the buildings last year along with a proposal to spruce up the county attorney’s office located north of City Hall. Howard said commissioners ultimately decided to move forward with the two northern most buildings but to wait on the county attorney’s office since the city is pursuing a TxDOT grant to replace the sidewalk on that block.

“We want to wait and see what happens with the sidewalk there,” Howard said. “We’re pleased the city is working with TxDOT to get that replaced.”

There is currently a ramp up to the county attorney’s door, and a sidewalk project will have to deal with that elevation difference before the county spends money on the appearance of the building.

The former Hall’s building is now the home of the adult probation office, and the sheriff’s office is using a conference room in the old appraisal district office for trainings and using the vault in the building as an evidence locker.

Howard said the county also owns the vacant lots neighboring the buildings undergoing renovations and he would like to see some of that developed for future businesses.