The domed roof of the St. Joseph County Courthouse has sprung at least one leak, causing water damage inside.
County Commissioners are taking action to preserve the historic building.
Courthouse 1, the main courthouse built in 1895, is a National Register-listed property and a local historical landmark. Commissioners Tuesday hired Kil Architecture to assess the damage and come up with a fix.
County Procurement Director Bree Roberts called the situation “dire.” She said the leaks are likely happening because the roof’s underlayment hasn’t been replaced since 1996. Kil will solidify that presumption and look for any other issues with the roof that might need work.
For just this first phase, the county will pay the firm a $15,700 fee, plus hourly rates to help the new roof win approval from South Bend’s Historical Preservation Commission.
"It's certainly something we need to do if anybody's seen the murals in the rotunda that are peeling," said Commissioners President Carl Baxmeyer. "We've got to fix that roof."