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Bexar County commissioners on Tuesday voted to move forward on improvement projects at five major county facilities, including the historic 1896 county courthouse.
Public bids are expected to be accepted this spring and summer on those projects totaling around $28 million.
The courthouse is made of large blocks and smaller cornices of Pecos red sandstone.
County Facilities Manager Dan Curry told commissioners that exterior work is part of the $4 million in upgrades planned on the historic downtown landmark.
"There are very decorative and detailed cornice pieces on, primarily the southside of this building that need to be addressed to make sure they don't fall or crack or further deteriorate."
The courthouse also needs work on its distinctive beehive dome and terracotta.
The Office of Emergency training center gets the lion's share of project money — nearly $13 million for additional space, parking, and security.
The Adult Detention Center will undergo more than $7 million in upgrades and repairs to pipes, ceiling, and its roof. It will also see its aging smoke evacuation system replaced.
The Medical Examiner's Office will undergo nearly $1 million of work to include offices, workstations, and storage. The relocation of the county crime lab freed up space in the three-story building the two agencies once shared in the Medical Center area.
And the Krier Juvenile Correctional Treatment Center will also undergo nearly two-million dollars of work to replace emergency generators.
