For nearly 150 years, the old Collin County courthouse has anchored downtown McKinney’s historic square. In some places, the exterior is starting to show its age.
“Really the stone has gotten kind of gray,” said Director of the McKinney Performing Arts Center. “This will help freshen it up clean things up just really sparkle when people come to our downtown McKinney."
The building first opened in 1876, underwent a major remodel in 1927 to transform the courthouse into a three-story Art-Deco style structure. It closed in 1979 for more than two decades until it reopened as the McKinney Performing Arts Center in 2006.
“It sat empty for 25 years so if you can imagine what that did to this downtown it was practically a ghost town,” said Rosenthal.
Rosenthal says the restoration of the historic building became central to the revitalization around the square.
“I think a lot of developers and people like me would like to develop their businesses in very quaint communities,” said Rick Wells. “We try to reproduce that now, today, rather than just having that old great old building.”
Wells owns two restaurants on the square, Harvest and Rick’s Chophouse. The chophouse opened 11 years ago, around the time the McKinney Performing Arts Center reopened in the old courthouse. He says he supports the efforts to preserve and maintain it.
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“The courthouse definitely drew me to downtown and what it stands for as a square,” said Wells. “I think it identifies us as one of these quaint little Texas squares.”
The McKinney Performing Arts Center hosts live music, art shows, plays and small conventions.
“There is something happening in this building every weekend, nights and weekends,” explained Rosenthal. “That type of activity has helped develop the downtown businesses, has encouraged restaurants, has encouraged later operation hours for retail. Really we’re an entertainment destination now.”
“We see over 75,000 guests a year. It’s always active. This is the most important building to invest and preserve in downtown McKinney,” said Rosenthal.
The crews began the work to restore and clean the façade this week. They will repaint window frames, clean the brick and stone.
McKinney’s Main Street program is paying for most of the work through a $150,000 grant. The grant money comes from the National Trust of Historic Preservation and American Express. The City of McKinney says it is paying another $16,000 out of the general fund for the work. Rosenthal says the center paid another $3,000 to repair the clocks in the façade so they tell time again.
All of the work is scheduled to be completed in two months.
