By Heather Michon
Restoration of Fluvanna County’s historic courthouse will cost more than expected after workers uncovered extensive damage to the building’s nearly 200-year-old brickwork.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday, Oct. 21, to appropriate an additional $400,000 from capital maintenance reserves to cover repairs and other unexpected expenses.
Designed by Thomas Jefferson’s contemporary John Hartwell Cocke and completed in 1831, the Greek Revival courthouse is one of Virginia’s most distinctive historic buildings.
It is among the state’s earliest examples of Greek Doric courthouse architecture and one of the few antebellum courthouses to retain much of its original appearance and interior.
The project is now in Phase 2, focusing on the exterior restoration. Originally scheduled for completion in December, work is now expected to continue into spring 2027.
Andrew Marshall of the architectural firm MTFA, who said he has visited every historic courthouse in Virginia, praised the building’s architecture.
“It is not only my favorite, but I think it is also the most beautifully designed of all of them,” he said.
Marshall explained that much of the additional work stems from Portland cement-based stucco applied to the courthouse columns and pilasters during earlier renovations.
Unlike the original lime-based stucco, the harder cement prevented moisture from escaping and damaged the softer, handmade bricks beneath it.
Enslaved workers produced those bricks during the courthouse’s construction in the 1830s.
Architects initially hoped to repair the existing stucco without removing it, fearing that removal would further damage the historic brickwork.
Once they could examine the building more closely, they discovered that large sections of stucco had already separated from the deteriorating bricks.
The restoration now requires removing the old stucco, replacing or repairing damaged bricks and applying new lime-based materials.
The latest appropriation adds to a project whose costs have risen considerably since an early assessment estimated repairs at approximately $1.5 million. By January 2026, the county had budgeted roughly $2.3 million for the current restoration phase, including a $2.01 million construction contract. The additional $400,000 brings that figure to about $2.7 million, with the final interior restoration phase still unfunded.
County Administrator Eric Dahl said approximately $383,000 in additional masonry and stucco work had been submitted for review but not yet approved. Other anticipated expenses include chimney repairs, structural work, and additional professional services.
Officials estimated the county might need about $541,000 beyond the previous project budget, though they hope to negotiate lower costs and possibly secure additional grant funding.
Some supervisors were reluctant to appropriate the entire amount before receiving more detailed estimates. They ultimately agreed to provide $400,000, leaving the remaining potential expenses for later consideration.
Emergency communications upgrades
Supervisors also considered a proposal from Motorola Solutions to upgrade the county’s emergency communications system through a multiyear agreement.
The upgrades would modernize dispatch consoles, servers, and other equipment ahead of technological changes expected around 2030.
Motorola representatives estimated that spreading the costs across several years could save approximately $700,000. If the county waits to replace the equipment later, prices would likely be higher.
The proposed agreement would cost approximately $3.7 million over its term, including ongoing system maintenance, compared with an estimated $4.4 million under Motorola’s alternative scenario.
Dahl said the proposal could add approximately $317,000 annually to the E-911 operating budget beginning in fiscal year 2028. However, an existing $400,000 equipment replacement expense is expected to drop out of the budget, potentially offsetting that increase.
Several supervisors expressed reservations about committing future operating funds before the county develops its next budget. Work on fiscal year 2028 is only in its preliminary stages.
Dahl also cautioned that the county’s available unassigned fund balance is shrinking. Departments have requested about $12.2 million in capital projects, while only about $1.8 million is currently available above the county’s reserve requirement.
Tenaska questions continue
Although the proposed Tenaska Expedition Generation power plant was not on the agenda, supervisors returned to questions about what information they received before approving the project in March.
County Attorney Dan Whitten summarized his review of earlier meeting records and presentations concerning the electrical transmission connection between the proposed plant and the existing Cunningham substation.
The review followed questions about whether supervisors were adequately informed about plans for the aboveground connection.
Whitten said Tenaska included a map showing the proposed route in its August 2025 open house materials and in its March 18 presentation to supervisors.
He also noted references to electrical infrastructure during Planning Commission discussions and the board’s consideration of the project, but those references did not explicitly identify the connection as a transmission line.
The exchange comes as the county faces a lawsuit challenging its approval of Expedition Generation. This portion of the meeting did not directly address the lawsuit.
Supervisors also asked whether restrictive covenants governing some of Tenaska’s financial commitments would remain attached to the property if it were sold.
Whitten said the covenants were recorded with the county, which would put any subsequent purchaser on notice of their existence.
However, recording the covenants does not necessarily make all their provisions legally enforceable against a future owner.
Other business
Supervisors also:
- Approved a $116,153.75 contract for security fencing around the Sheriff’s Office vehicle lot and sally port, along with a $40,000 transfer from existing capital funds.
- Authorized conditional acceptance of a grant for a domestic violence prevention initiative
- Requested a VDOT traffic safety study at the intersection of Route 15 and Troy Road, where officials cited repeated crashes and visibility concerns.
- Scheduled a Nov. 4 public hearing on a utility easement adjustment involving water and sewer service for the planned Wawa near Routes 15 and 215.
- Scheduled Nov. 18 public hearings on temporarily relaxing sign restrictions for businesses affected by construction and detours along South Boston Road and on proposed changes to real estate tax relief for older and disabled residents.
