First county office moves to new location in July

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A tentative opening date is set for July for the Monongalia County offices relocating to the renovated federal building on High Street.

According to Director of Facilities Bob Doyle, the inside work is in its final stages.

“Our substantial completion date is May 31. Our final completion date is June 30,” Doyle predicted.

County commissioners awarded the bid for the $17.2 million dollar project in January 2014.
The first move is set to begin July 6.

“We are right now talking with the offices moving. We’re trying to get a plan together. We are trying figure out how many boxes we need so we can start boxing up files,” explained Doyle.”

The first floor of the building will house the circuit clerk’s office, probation office, day report center, drug court and teen court.
The circuit clerk’s office will be the first to operate out of the federal building.

“All the court system, except for magistrate’s court, all the files are in the circuit clerk’s office. So, that’s the main first office we have to move,” Doyle said. “So, we’re going to move them and move the circuit court. And, then hopefully we’ll move everybody else at the same time.”

Magistrate and family courts will be located on the second floor.
The third floor is designated for circuit court.
Prisoner holding cells will be located in the basement of the building.

“Right now we are about 90 percent complete on the third floor. We got carpet going down. On the second floor we are probably 70 percent.
First floor, they are putting the drywall up and painting,” Doyle said.

Outside, landscaping, fountain work, and sidewalk improvements are being made. A portion of the roof still needs to be painted.

When the former federal building is fully open, improvements will begin in the main courthouse.