STUTTGART -- Arkansas County officials are making final preparations for the construction of a new courthouse annex building in Stuttgart after authorities said an arsonist torched the structure in September.
County Judge Thomas Best said he didn't have a firm timeline on when the new building would open, adding, "We are moving forward as quickly as we can because we are all very anxious to have that space again."
Donald Aaron, 45, is facing two arson charges, each under different subsections of federal law, in the courthouse blaze.
The first charge says that the Sept. 23, fire resulted in the injury of a city employee, and the second says that the building at 312 S. College St. was used by law enforcement and county officials who receive federal financial assistance.
If convicted, Aaron faces seven to 40 years in prison, along with a $250,000 fine. A motive for the arson has not been released, and Aaron's trial date has not been set. He will remain in custody until his trial, authorities have said.
The fire began in the early morning hours and quickly swept through the structure, built in 1918. The building sustained an estimated $2.5 million to $3 million in damage and had to be demolished.
The blaze was first thought to be an electrical fire, but evidence gathered at the scene by federal agents pointed to arson, Grover Crossland, resident agent in charge of the Little Rock field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said two weeks after it occurred.
Since 1992, the two-story building had housed offices such as the sheriff's office, an Arkansas State Police office, the 911 coordinator's office, the Office of Emergency Management, the assessor, the collector and the county judge.
Those offices have been temporarily housed in the main courthouse building's basement, Best said, noting that "it's very cramped right now, but we are making do."
The new building will cost about $1.6 million to construct, and Best said insurance money should take care of most of it. The facility will be built on the old structure's footprint and will be similar in size, the judge said.
"We are looking at roughly 10,000 square feet with two stories," he said. "It will have all the modern amenities, which is something our old building did not have. It's going to be nice."
Around Stuttgart, residents join Best in saying they are eagerly awaiting the completion of the new building.
Donna Gardner said she remembers the building being a part of Stuttgart's "spirit for so many years, and I know it will be nice for the workers to have their offices back again. It's a shame that we lost the old building, but the new one is going to be fantastic."
State Desk on 06/03/2015