NATCHEZ &045;&045; Contractor Wilmar Construction is three-fourths of the way through with the city’s portion of the federal courthouse project, Mark Carter, project engineer with Wilmar Construction, said Wednesday.

In addition, he and others close to the project said Wilmar should be close to meeting the June 4 deadline for that part of the work.

&uot;We’re about 75 to 80 percent complete&uot; with the city’s part, Carter said.

As Carter spoke, crews were busy working on reconstruction of the concrete walkway running in front of Memorial Hall, which is being renovated for use as a courthouse.

Tasks the crew has accomplished so far have included demolishing the interior of the building, including most woodwork in the old stage area; installing a new roof; and reworking drainage systems.

Work left to complete includes exterior brick repair, plaster refinishing and installation of roof coping and flashing.

&uot;There will also be some lead abatement, which may push (the completion date back) a little bit,&uot; said City Engineer David Gardner.

The city must finish its part of the project as quickly as possible so the General Services Administration can take over the project by Sept. 30, during its current fiscal year.

Representatives of the GSA and the state Department of Archives and History met with Gardner last week to see how work was progressing.

Gardner said Wednesday

the project should be completely finished by September or October 2005.

Late last year, aldermen voted to accept Wilmar’s bid of $856,000 for the city’s part of the project &045;&045; well under the estimate of $1.2 million or more.

Funds the city is using for its portion of the work include $1 million from the U.S. Marshals Service, $900,000 each in city and county bond proceeds and a $400,000 Archives and History grant.

The second phase will be done with $1.25 million from the federal Administrative Office of the Courts.