MALONE -- Stone-wall repairs, staircase replacements and repaving projects around the Franklin County Courthouse could cost nearly $775,000.

The work might go out to bid in August, which would meet the county's schedule for starting some of the work during this year's construction season.

But it leaves a small window of time for the selected contractor to complete the job before cold weather returns.

Preliminary estimates from Beardsley Design Associates break the jobs into two areas:

Main Street at the former entrance to the building, where the stone wall and steps are crumbling and a potential hazard.

Brewster Street side, where the parking lot, its curbing and lighting are deemed sub-par.

Beardsley engineers John MacArthur and Mike Reynolds met with county legislators Thursday for an update on their initial findings and to brace them for the anticipated expense.

MAIN STREET SIDE

The retaining wall along Main Street has broken, chipped and teetering stones, while the stone staircase leading to the main-entrance doors of the old portion of the courthouse are crumbling.

The agency's plan out front is to rip out all of the stairs and create new ones, replace the wall rock and its drainage and improve the sidewalk and curbing. Then an overall washing of the building's exterior will remove accumulated grime.

Beardsley's estimate on that work, since a professional mason must do some of it, prices out at $348,000.

BREWSTER STREET SIDE

The rear parking lot will be resurfaced. But first, the existing curbing will be torn out and replaced in the renovation plan.

The loading dock will be refurbished, a wooden staircase will be replaced, and hand railings will be upgraded.

Estimates for that work are about $310,000, MacArthur said, plus a 15-percent contingency fund of $99,000, $4,000 for the agency's planning work and $13,000 for bonding, for a project grand total of $774,000.