Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today announced the kick off of a brick by brick renovation of the Old County Courthouse, beginning with the restoration of the dome. The dome project is the first in a unique public and private partnership designed to help restore civic pride to the historic Courthouse and to all of Nassau County.

Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi rode in with the "Rough Riders" to announce the renovation of the Old County Courthouse

"This Courthouse has appeared in Hollywood movies-it was the American courthouse," said County Executive Suozzi. "It was left to crumble and decay. Now it is time to rebuild the Courthouse, and our civic pride as well. The renovation of the Old Courthouse is essential to the County's four-year-recovery plan, and public-private partnerships such as this are crucial in rebuilding our county government's crumbling infrastructure."

The renovations for the dome are being funded by John Miller, a private donor, who has given the funds to the Nassau First Charitable Trust, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of significant landmarks, structures, and public spaces within Nassau County. Nassau First, in turn, selected the architectural firm of John G. Waite & Associates to handle the historical research and architectural design elements of the project.

Dr. John Gable, Executive Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Association; Friends of the Old Courthouse, and members of the Nassau First Charitable Trust joined the County Executive today at a special event which included Jim Foote, a Teddy Roosevelt re-creationist, who delivered a speech about the Old Courthouse. Representatives from the Old Bethpage Restoration Village and the Rough Riders Cavalry joined in the celebration for the event.

More than a century ago, on July 13, 1900, the then Governor of New York, Theodore Roosevelt, laid a three-foot-long granite cornerstone at the northeast corner of what would become Nassau County's first courthouse and county building. Governor Roosevelt took the platform and told the crowd he was please to be there, "because of what is meant to the county by the erection of the building and because of what is meant to all of us citizens by the manner and kind of work that is to be done in the building after it is complete."

The goal of the project is to restore the Old Courthouse in its entirety, and rededicate it as the centerpiece of the county seat. The project officially began on May 20, with mobilization of the project team on-site. When completed, the dome will closely resemble the original white dome that was designed in 1900 by architect William B. Tubby. The dome will be completely restored around mid-July of this year.

"We are beginning with the dome because it is the most visible symbol of the state of the building-it has fallen into extreme disrepair and is badly in need of restoration," said Suozzi. "The bronze coating last applied to its surface is flaking, and is both unsightly and historically inaccurate."