The Will County Facilities Department will work to identify a contractor to inspect an area on the Will County Courthouse in downtown Joliet where a large stone tile fell Wednesday morning.
No one was injured when the rectangular stone tile fell off the east side of the new courthouse by its employee entrance on Ottawa Street, county officials said.
“Our Facilities Department is inspecting the cause of the façade failure,” said Mike Theodore, a spokesman with the Will County executive’s office. “Any repairs will commence after the cause is identified. An initial on-site analysis is underway, with a more detailed review being scheduled for next week.”
The tile was about 18-by-34 inches and weighed about 90 pounds, Theodore said.
The county’s Facilities Department and the Will County chief judge’s office issued a joint statement saying they are closely coordinating the response.
Protective scaffolding was installed around the entrances of the courthouse along with many of the walkways adjacent to the entrances.
Overhead protection was installed Wednesday at the affected area and additional protective scaffolding will be installed around the building throughout the week, Theodore said.
The courthouse, 100 W. Jefferson St., was open Wednesday and Thursday. The building opened in November 2020.
It is too early to determine the cost of the repairs, Theodore said.
A panel failed in September 2023, but it did not affect a public area, Theodore said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter.
