Part of the historical commission's grant criteria factors in the age of the courthouse, its architectural and historical significance and whether there is a protective easement. The historical easement on the old Nueces County courthouse stipulates that only historically accurate work can be done on the building until 2018. Dusty Durrill, whose Justice Buildings Inc. owns the courthouse, signed a deed that transfers ownership of the building to the county. If the grant is rejected, ownership reverts back to Durrill. Buildings are eligible for the historical commission grant if they are at least 50 years old and still owned by the county.
Counties can use funds for repairs ranging from replacing leaky roofs to updating wiring.
The commission could decide to give small grants to several counties or fully fund a handful of requests, Utley said. Counties must pay for at least 15 percent of the costs, which could include cash or previous expenditures or master planning and renovations. All rights reserved.