Project Goals
Built in 1838 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Halifax County Courthouse houses records dating back to 1752. The County undertook a major renovation and expansion to modernize the historic courthouse and its 1960s annex; create space for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office and for the circuit, general district, and juvenile and domestic relations courts; and provide upgraded facilities for the storage and protection of archival records.
Services
2RW provided comprehensive MEP/FP engineering services for all phases of this project, including:
Temporary Relocation: Mary Bethune Office
- Conducted a feasibility study to evaluate options for temporarily housing court and administrative functions during construction.
- Designed MEP systems for the partial renovation of the 4,750 SF Mary Bethune office building, which was determined to be the best relocation option.
Historic Courthouse and Annex Renovation
- Provided full MEP/FP engineering for the complete renovation of the 1838 courthouse and the 26,000 SF 1960s annex.
- Developed innovative design solutions to fit modern systems within the precast concrete structure of the annex, which offered limited space for MEP equipment, while ensuring accessibility for maintenance.
- Designed an FM200 clean agent fire suppression system that extinguishes fires in 10 seconds or less, protecting archival and file storage areas without the water damage risk of traditional sprinklers.
Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office Addition
- Designed MEP/FP systems for a new three-story, 9,000 SF office building addition to house the Commonwealth’s Attorney.
Results
The completed project preserved the historic fabric of the courthouse while delivering modernized, secure, and efficient spaces to support the County’s judicial and administrative functions and ensure long-term protection of vital records.
