AUBURN — The boarded-up windows in the Androscoggin County Courthouse — at the center of Auburn’s downtown — will soon be replaced with more than $100,000 in specially designed windows aimed at replicating the look of the Civil War-era structure.

Work could begin as early as Thursday, lifting the new windows into place with a boom lift, County Clerk Patricia Fournier said.

The windows, paid for through a federal block grant, should dress up a building that’s looked bandaged and bruised since the old windows were removed, new casings built and plywood patches installed.

The seven windows are all prominent. Most are two stories tall. The originals had intricate, internal frames and did little as far as insulation.

They were the worst in the building, County Commission Chairman Randall Greenwood said. In some places, gaps allowed air to blow in without anything to stop it.

Another 15 to 20 windows ought to be replaced, Fournier said. However, that task will wait for more money. The current grant was from a special Energy, Efficiency and Conservation fund.

Besides the windows, which cost just under $109,000, the federal money helped pay for upgrades in the cooling system in the main courtroom and new controls in the boiler room.

All should help the big brick building run more efficiently.

Improvements ought to be seen as soon as the new windows, built by Boyd in Colorado, are installed. December work by Hebert Construction of Lewiston created the new casings. Creative Glass, also of Lewiston, is slated to install the windows.

dhartill@sunjournal.com