So what's wrong with the Kenton County building?

COVINGTON – The building that could hold future lawyers and currently has an empty jail and county offices will go under the microscope to see just what work it needs before any change is made.

Kenton County Fiscal Court on Tuesday entered into an agreement with Corporex Companies for a full-scale evaluation of the building.

The cost to the county for the assessment? $1.

"That's a pretty good deal," said Kenton County Commissioner Jon Draud, before he, Commissioner Joe Nienaber and Judge-executive Kris Knochelmann voted to accept the agreement. Commissioner Beth Sewell was on vacation.

"We want to find out what would be our needs if we stayed in this building long term, or what would be the cost to any entity, Northern (Kentucky University's Chase College of Law) or others, to repurpose this building if we were to vacate," said Kenton County Administrator Joe Shriver.

A county staff committee received a half-dozen proposals for the job and decided Corporex was most qualified to do the assessment, Shriver said.

The Kenton County Administration Building at 303 Court St. was built in 1969, Knochelmann said, and has never had a full-scale renovation.

The elevators, heating and air conditioning and roof are all its originals, Knochelmann said, adding, "About 95 percent of the building is original."

Northern Kentucky University and Kenton County are considering moving the Chase College of Law into the 10-story Kenton County building, which is at the foot of the Roebling Suspension Bridge in Covington.

If that deal is sealed, more than 400 law students and more than 40 faculty from NKU's Highland Heights campus would be moving to Covington's riverfront.

Covington officials think the move would fuel the urban core with activity and new businesses that would cater to the law students and the professors and other staff.

The county jail was moved from the building to a new detention center in the southern end of Covington in 2010, and since then, county leaders have discussed what the future of the Kenton County Administration building should be.

The building is 40 percent vacant, but still houses offices for the Kenton County administration, clerk, sheriff and commonwealth's attorney.

Draud said it makes sense that Corporex would offer to do the work for just $1.

"This fits in quite well with Bill Butler's commitment to downtown Covington," Draud said.