Federal building cupola getting $1.9 million restoration - Port Huron, MI - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

Nearly $1.9 million of work has started on Michigan's oldest federal building still occupied by federal agencies.

According to the U.S. General Services Administration, the project is focused on exterior repairs to the Port Huron courthouse's cupola.

"This includes replacing deteriorated wood elements, replacing the copper roof, and repainting the base of the cupola," GSA said in an emailed statement. "The total project contract cost, which includes the industrial hygienists, architect-engineer, and construction manager as constructor, is approximately $1,891,812."

Crews have recently put up scaffolding around the back of the building on Water Street south of the Black River. Work started April 24 and is expected to be completed in late fall.

GSA reported the work will not interfere with day-to-day operations inside the building and will follow historic preservation standards.

Federal courts continue to occupy the building's second floor, with the U.S. Marshals Service and Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection also housed in the building, according to the GSA website.

The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for the custody of federal prisoners starting at the time of remand and ending when they are either acquitted, arrive at a federal prison facility to serve a sentence or are otherwise released.

Construction on the renaissance revival styled building started in 1873 and it is made primarily of sandstone and limestone. It cost $200,000 to build the structure 143 years ago.

In October, a bronze plaque was unveiled in the courthouse commemorating 28 years of service by the late U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff.

Robert H. Cleland, appointed a U.S. District Judge by President George Bush in 1990, was appointed to the courthouse in 2016. He replaced Zatkoff, who died in January 2015.

Federal courts handle cases that deal with the constitutionality of a law, disputes between states, cases involving laws or treaties, ambassadors or public ministers, admiralty law, bankruptcy and habeas corpus issues.

A call to Cleland was not returned.

Contact Liz Shepard at (810) 989-6273 or lshepard@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @lvshepard.

History of the Port Huron Federal Building and Courthouse

1873–1877: The Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was constructed at Water and Sixth streets in Port Huron at a cost of $200,000.

1932–1933: An addition was built at a cost of $115,000.

1974: The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

1986–1987: Exterior restoration and a copper roof project was completed at a cost of $1.15 million.

2007–2008: The GSA restored the postal lobby.

2016: Contractors remodel holding cells, an office and command center for the U.S. Marshals Service.

Type of publication: Newspaper When was the article reported?: 05/11/2018 Publication: Times Herald Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: local News Category: Politics

Visit Instructions:
Give the date of your visit at the news location along with a description of what you learned or experienced.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.