Remodeling of Missoula courthouse on schedule but far from complete

After a year under construction, the Missoula County Courthouse remains a noisy mess, with plastic sheets covering exposed floors and walls, and ever-so-patient county employees being shuffled about the two-building complex.

And its likely the commotion will continue until the remodeling of the 100-year-old courthouse and its 50-year-old annex wraps up in 2016.

But county officials say the remodeling is right on schedule and under budget albeit not without a few challenges.

The courthouse must provide essential public services in the midst of disorder and disruption. But according to public officials, the construction work is a much-need step toward efficiency.

We have been looking at the countys space for a number of years, Missoula County communications and project manager Anne Hughes said.

Space was one of the main drivers in the decision to remodel. And its obvious to see why.

Employees are stuffed into every nook and cranny of already cramped offices and many departments have expanded so much that workers have been separated from the main office and placed on different floors.

The sheriffs department on the third floor is begging for a cosmetic upgrade. Deputies are crammed into offices that are sectioned off with makeshift walls. The hallways tend to be small and the windows if you are lucky enough to have one are in desperate need of updated panes.

Across the way from the sheriffs third-floor offices sits Justice Court, which holds both courtrooms and the entire Justice Court staff with the exception of two people. Though Justice Court seems a bit less crammed than its law-enforcing neighbors, its still a tight squeeze.

It just wasnt very efficient, Hughes said on a tour of the buildings.

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Remodeling of Missoula courthouse on schedule but far from complete