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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.

Dirt work began last week on the new St. Mary’s Catholic Church  after nine years of planning and fundraising.

Building committee member Chriss Clifford said the new 80-foot by 40-foot church building will extend from the west end of the Parish Hall, which was completed in 2016. She estimates construction will take six to seven months to complete.

“I’d like to be in by Christmas, but I don’t know if it’s possible because we were behind starting dirt work,” Clifford said.

St. Mary’s original 1892 building was demolished in 2019 after it was found to be structurally unsound and unsavable following a 2016 incident where a car ran into the historic structure.

The new church will have several features of the original building, Clifford said. The stained-glass windows were saved and will be reinstalled in the new church, some original bead board will be included in the new narthex, and the original altar and prayer rail will also be utilized.

Fundraising for the new church has been going on since 2016 and will continue this Friday, August 8, with a St. Mary’s Fish Fry from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 510 E. Montgomery.

With construction started on the new church building, everyone is asked to please enter through the east door of the Parish Hall.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children. Proceeds benefit the church building fund. Call-in orders are welcome at 806-874-3910.