FARMINGTON — New windows for the Franklin County Courthouse are expected to arrive this week as renovations continue at the historic brick building at 140 Main St.

The purpose is to provide space for the District Attorney’s Office, which moved out of the ground level in 2011 and leased space at 124 Main St. across from the 12th District Court.

The DA’s Office is expected to take over the commissioners’ office area on the first floor, and have offices on the ground level.

The DA staff needs offices, Tiffany Baker, deputy county administrator, wrote in an email Tuesday. ‘

“Tentatively these spaces will include the commissioners, IT, and EMA offices,” she said. “The break room will be converted into a conference room. The kitchen area will be relocated, though we aren’t exactly sure what that will look like yet.”

Commissioners are looking at whether or not they can provide the Probate Office more space, she said.

County Administrator Amy Bernard told commissioners Feb. 18 that the cost of upgrading electrical, sprinkler and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and construction materials, is about $50,000.

The money will come from interest on the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The construction will be done internally using facilities staff, Baker said, and Adrenaline Electric will do wiring and Dave’s World will install additional heat pumps.

The $181,332 for the new windows and sills on the first and second floors will come from the county’s ARPA funds.

The Franklin County Courthouse, at 140 Main St. in Farmington will undergo renovations to make room for District Attorney’s Office. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal file photo

Initially the District Attorney’s Office was to move into the new emergency operations center on County Way in Farmington where the jail, Sheriff’s Office and Regional Communications Center are located. Several county offices, including commissioners, emergency management agency and information technology departments, will move into the new building, which is expected to open April 1.

In November 2022, acting District Attorney Alexandra Winter told commissioners that moving the District Attorney’s Office 2 miles away from the district and superior courts was not suitable to court access.

There is a statutory requirement that the county provide suitable space for the DA’s office, she said then.

State law says commissioners shall “provide to the district attorney serving the county office space suitable for the performance of the duties of office, including sufficient private area for research, conferences and meetings with officers, witnesses, complainants and citizens. If office space is not available on county property, the county commissioners shall provide sufficient funds to the district attorney for the rental of suitable quarters at locations convenient to courthouses within the county.”

The courthouse was built in 1885 and an addition was built in 1917. It has been on the National Historic Register of Places since the early 1980s.