RUTHERFORD COUNTY COURTHOUSE

STATUS: Complete

This project involved the restoration of one of the few pre-Civil War courthouses still in use in Tennessee. Between 1908 and 1954 the building went through a series of modifications and additions which diminished the historic character of the structure.

Beginning in 1989 Kline Swinney Associates began a series of projects with the purpose of restoring the Courthouse to its pre-1908 grandeur. The first project included the restoration of the cupola and other exterior elements.

Kline Swinney Associates was presented with a huge challenge with the 1998 interior renovation and restoration of the Courthouse. In addition to the typical problems encountered with any renovation project, this project included removal of a previously added floor, building a new balcony and replacing all systems within an 1856 building with all of its unknowns, hidden conditions, myriad of undocumented renovations and the complete mystery of what would be found behind every wall, floor and ceiling.

KSA spent a great deal of time documenting the existing building construction, systems and details. We worked closely with a historical expert to recreate period-correct interior and exterior details. In addition, we studied old photographs of the Courthouse to allow us to recreate the original Courthouse layout and atmosphere as closely as possible.

In 1999, 2002 and 2005 there were a number of projects which include restoring the building’s 1859 columns, 1908 cupola and parapet.

Renovations and Beautifications - We currently are working on the renovation and beautification of the Courthouse. This includes interior and exterior renovations. Interior office component renovations will include accommodations for different county operations such as finance, the mayor’s office, county IT department, to mention a few.