Restoration work on the Douglas County Courthouse is going on as scheduled. Shown here is a detailed blueprint of the west side and work detail.

Workers continued this week to evaluate the condition of limestone on the west side of the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Mass.

“We’re trying to make a determination whether to patch or replace the stone,” said Shawn Smoke, who is supervising the project for the primary contractor, Restoration and Waterproofing Contractors Inc., which has offices in Topeka, Kansas City, Kan., and Wichita.

“The majority of it is stone replacement,” Smoke said.

The first phase of a multiyear, $1.12 million historic preservation effort at the courthouse began in October. Smoke said he hoped the first year of the project will be finished in July, although the contract with the county allows for completion in October.

The courthouse is more than 100 years old, having opened for business in 1905.

“The building is in pretty good shape as a whole,” Smoke said. “But the chimney, for instance, was in real bad shape and definitely needing repair, and there’s a few other items around that have just deteriorated to the point they have to be redone.”

That comes as no surprise to county leaders. They were told last year by Don McMican, the consulting engineer, that considerable work needed to be done to the west entrance, wall, window sills, sidewalk and steps.