City Hall construction on schedule for 2006
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on October 10, 2005 1:50 PM
Work on the new City Hall building at the corner of Center and Mulberrry streets is on schedule, city officials said today.
Assistant City Manager Tasha Logan said construction of the $4.6 million structure should be finished in mid-February.
The new building is being constructed by D.S. Simmons. Work started in late January. The two-story structure will contain 32,000-square feet of floor space when completed.
The City Council said the new facility is needed to improve the delivery of services to city residents. It will allow some city departments to consolidate and better accommodate staff functions that have outgrown the current building, city officials said.
It also will provide a more attractive environment for people doing business with the city, they added.
When visitors enter the front of the new building, they will be greeted by a receptionist, who will direct them to the proper office.
"Now people have to walk down the hall and figure out where to go," said Mrs. Logan.
The mayor and city manager's offices will be located on the second floor. Plans call for the new information technology department, planning department, inspections and engineering and finance departments also to eventually be located in the new building.
The building is the first of a three-phase project. After the new building is open, a second phase calls for renovations to the existing City Hall, which was built in the early 1900s.
Departments in the old building will move into the current annex during the renovations.
After the renovations are complete and the departments return to the renovated structure, the annex will be demolished to provide more parking space.
While the renovation of the old City Hall is under way, the City Council will meet in temporary quarters, said officials.