After months of machinery clogging the landscape and the sounds of hammers and drills echoing through the building, the completion of the Greenville City Hall renovation project is drawing near.

&#8220I would say we are probably 90 percent or more done. The new heating and cooling units, the re-roofing, the siding – now they are putting the finishing touches on things. We should be done in the next few days,” Mayor Dexter McLendon.

In addition to the heating and cooling units, new drains, modernization of handicapped access, fresh paint and a new roof, damaged wood and fascia have been replaced, giving the aging building a spruce new look, the mayor said.

&#8220The building looks much, much better. It's been 16 years since we had anything done. With an older building, it is very important to maintain it, especially one that represents the city itself.”

The new heating and cooling units will be especially welcome to city workers, City Clerk Sue Arnold said.

&#8220The units we had functioned, but they were just really inadequate for the building,” she said.

&#8220It will be a lot more comfortable for everyone working and visiting in the building.”

The winning bid for refurbishing the 70-year-old building came in at $367, 747.

Just down the street at the Butler County Courthouse, workmen are busy replacing the roof on the century-old structure, and not a moment too soon, said Jessie McWilliams, chairman of the Butler County Commission.

&#8220We've been in need of this for a while. We've had leaks in so many places, it's been a real problem.”

Re-roofing the courthouse and the old health department building will cost $44, 150, a bid the commission members found extremely reasonable, McWilliams said.

&#8220Honestly, we were scared it was going to cost us upwards to $200,000 for this project. When the bid came in so much lower, we were thrilled. In the long term, re-roofing the entire structure will cost us less than a lot of

patch jobs here and there.”

McWilliams said the courthouse re-roofing was going &#8220very well.”

&#8220Depending on the weather, of course, I would say it will take about two more weeks to complete.”