City Hall to Undergo Long-Awaited Renovation

City Hall is getting a long-awaited interior make-over.

Plans hatched in 2006 under the prior city manager will finally be put into action this fall as the city government hub will receive a few needed improvements.

Pete Geiling, the city's facilities director, said the first phase of the project will focus on better space management on the second floor, improving the HVAC system, and improving fire escape routes.

"The HVAC is probably the largest item," he said. The system was originally designed for an open layout plan, but closed offices ended up being installed.

"It's about upgrading the technology and fixing some long-standing problems like control and energy use," he said.

Other issues the remodel will address include putting in a dedicated fire emergency egress.

"There's not a fire rated egress for the second floor," Geiling said. "Or, one that's not really proper."

Currently, the Human Resources office has to remain permanently unlocked and open for City Hall to meet fire code, since through that office is the only fire escape.

"We'll be creating a hallway that will allow for that fire-rated egress," he said.

A third area that will be addressed in the remodel will be space management.

"The space [on the second floor] isn't really designed in an efficient manner," Geiling said.

Some offices are set up in hallways, and in some instances, employees are completely seperated from the department for which they work.

The city has budgeted $250,000 per year for this project, Geiling said.

After receiving the first round of bids for the work, City Manager Angel Jones said officials were surprised by how high the bids were.

The last time City Hall had a major interior renovation was about 15 years ago, Geiling said.