"We've already fallen in love with it," said Linda King, who works in the district court office. "There is so much more room for us and, just as importantly, for the public. We are also closer to the sheriff, easier to find and more accessible."
Although the location is not permanent for the courts, many are pleased that they will have a respite from the seasonal elements that sometimes crept into the aging courthouse.
"I know it was not meant for us, but I think it is really a miracle in disguise," said Chief Deputy Circuit Clerk Beth Neal. "We have a great deal more space, but we are also looking forward to having heat when we're supposed to have heat and air when we're supposed to have air."
The new digs also drew raves from veteran employees like Ralph Morris, who didn't get to experience the wide open work environment on Lexington Street.
Morris spent 11 years as deputy county clerk and 19 as clerk, almost all of them in the old courthouse.
"Everything looks so wonderful," he said. "We didn't have this much space to move around. It really would have been something to have all this room."
Tim Peters of Peters Construction, which oversaw the renovation, praised the cooperation of the court and county employees.
"Whenever you undertake a project like this hundreds of hours of work are done behind the scenes," Peters said. "The people who are going to be using the building - fiscal court, the county clerk, the sheriff, the PVA - they helped me tremendously with the planning part of the job."
