The old Habersham County courthouse building is coming down ahead of schedule, and in accordance with regulatory protocol, according to city officials.
Clarkesville City Manager Keith Dickerson said the building could be brought to the ground by Friday, May 2, and that the entire site could be clear by the end of May.
“The company seems to know what they’re doing,” Dickerson said. “We haven’t seen any issues, and we’re down there every day, a couple of times a day.”
Clarkesville Mayor Barrie Aycock said she drives by the property almost every day and notices the continual progress on demolition.
“It’s great to see,” Clarkesville Mayor Barrie Aycock said. “That building is coming down. They’re doing an excellent job.”
Habersham County Manager Tim Sims explained what happened to the courthouse’s clock tower on Friday, April 25.
“The clock tower was basically just a facade around a cinder block wall that was the elevator shaft so it was not anything to save,” Sims said. “The clock face was also just a facade that could not be taken down intact. We were able to save the weather vane and it’s in storage with our (building) maintenance dept.”
Compliance
City officials report that the downtown building demolition currently underway is proceeding in full compliance with environmental regulations, with crews taking extra precautions to minimize any potential impact on air quality and public safety.
Southern Environmental Services, the contractor overseeing the demolition, has met all legal environmental requirements, city leaders confirmed. City officials have maintained regular oversight of the project throughout its progression.
On Tuesday, April 29, work crews were observed actively wetting the structure to suppress dust – a practice maintained even during rainfall – as heavy equipment tore through the building’s remains.
“The abatement of asbestos has been dealt with,” Gaines said. “At this point, there’s no air quality problems because, basically, the water is helping in keeping it down.”
According to city guidelines, key steps must be followed before and during demolition. These include submitting asbestos notification forms to the state when applicable, disconnecting and verifying all utility services in writing, and sealing sanitary sewer lines.
Additionally, erosion control measures must be in place before work begins, and property owners in the vicinity must be notified at least 48 hours in advance. Crews are required to remove all structural components – including footings, foundations, and basements – to at least 18 inches below ground level. Any deeper basement areas must be broken into small debris no larger than eight inches and hauled to a licensed landfill or recycling center.
Following demolition, the site must be backfilled with clean soil, graded to match the surrounding terrain, and stabilized to prevent erosion or drainage issues. Final approval is contingent upon proper disposal documentation and confirmation that all environmental safeguards have been completed.
Officials say the city remains committed to transparency and environmental responsibility as downtown redevelopment efforts continue.
