Take long-term view in use of old Beaufort County Courthouse

Beaufort County's historic courthouse needs a new lease on life.

If justice is to be done, it will be cared for properly and remain open to the public.

So much of the life of this community has been played out within those thick walls since the courthouse was built on Bay Street in downtown Beaufort in 1888. The building was significantly remodeled in 1936 as part of the New Deal's Public Works Administration. And after the county moved to newer courtrooms, it has for the past 20 years been used as a U.S. Court and other federal offices.

But now the federal government is moving out and Beaufort County must decide what to do with one of its most prominent buildings.

Early in the discussion, it was said county offices now located in the aging Arthur Horne Building on Ribaut Road might go there.

Now, the nonprofit Santa Elena Foundation suggests turning it into a history museum and its headquarters. This relatively new organization seeks to better tell the story of America's earliest Colonial settlements, which were in Beaufort County, not Plymouth Rock or St. Augustine.

The foundation wants to use the building rent-free, with plans to eventually purchase the property at its appraised value, currently about $786,000. It is asking the county to help pay for $50,000 worth of interior improvements.

The foundation has entered the only bid since the county began seeking proposals in August.

The county should compare the hard costs of maintaining the building with and without tenants, and with county staff using it or with others using it. That calculation should include the negative effect of the building sitting idle. It should measure the long-term ramifications of selling it, as the current proposal suggests.

We know many communities have passed through this same quandary. The best practices, pitfalls and successes of others should be quickly available to help guide Beaufort County Council.

We know, for example, that the historic DeKalb County, Ga., courthouse on the square of Decatur, near Atlanta, now serves as the home of the DeKalb History Center. Its archives and museum are located there, and it hosts many groups and lectures. But the building also is rented for weddings, special occasions, corporate functions, luncheons, lectures, political gatherings and parties.

We'd like to see the courthouse be a vibrant part of downtown Beaufort's historic district. We'd like to see the county's history better told with places for visitors to get their hands on the many stories. But this decision requires great care.

Beaufort County Council may well have a better use for the old building than office space. One thing is certain: A new use is a must. And so is solid research on what is best for the public.

This story was originally published October 28, 2014 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Take long-term view in use of old Beaufort County Courthouse."