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CASSOPOLIS — Donning hard hats, Cass County commissioners and a handful of County staff recently walked the historic courthouse, 120 N. Broadway St., Cassopolis, but instead of crumbling ceilings and dusty furniture they had seen on previous visits, they saw bare floors and walls stripped down to drywall and brick.

The visit was a celebration of sorts, as demolition of the interior of the courthouse nears completion. 

Commissioners Roseann Marchetti, Michael Grice, Ryan Laylin, Chair Skip Dyes, Treasurer Hope Anderson and Clerk Monica McMichael were in attendance for the tour with construction company PlazaCorp, in addition to County Administrator Matthew Newton and a handful of County employees.

Following evaluations from local committees as well as architectural professionals, the commissioners voted in 2021 to repurpose the long-vacant historic courthouse into a new county administration building. Commissioners are set to vote on specific plans for the future of the structure this fall.