Courthouse Viewing Deck Closing March Through June
A temporary closure of the County Courthouse observation deck to make it accessible to people with disabilities will be even more temporary, county officials announced this week, as the shutdown period has been shortened by several months. Originally scheduled to close from January through July, the dates were changed to March through June when design plans shifted slightly to preserve the Saltillo tile floor.
The observation deck is visited by approximately 200,000 people every year, but the panoramic views were out of reach for many with disabilities, as the elevator stops twelve steps short of the landing. When construction finishes in June, the elevator will reach the top of the landing. The work is being paid for with both federal dollars and bond money for Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliance work.