BEVERLY — The city is hoping to begin a major renovation of City Hall in the spring of 2025, a project that would close down the building for more than a year and a half and move City Hall services down the street into a temporary home at the former Family Dollar store.
The project would include expanding City Hall into the former police station next door, allowing the city to move the health and inspectional services departments back into the building, providing larger and improved workspaces for all departments, and improving accessibility for the public.
“The goals of the project are to get our staff and the public a space that better serves us all,” Mayor Mike Cahill said during a presentation on the project last week at City Hall.
Plans for the project were first introduced by the city last year. An architect firm hired by the city interviewed City Hall staff in every department about what they would like to see in a newly renovated building and came up with various options for the city to consider.
The total cost of the project would be about $25 million. That is less costly than other options the project team had floated, including one that would have demolished the former police station and built a new addition to City Hall, Cahill said.
The option now being considered would include adding a third floor to the former police station, which is actually an annex to City Hall. The expansion would increase the amount of square footage by almost 50%.
The renovations will include a new HVAC system that will mean “much higher quality, cleaner air to breathe every day,” Cahill said. He pointed out that the first and second floors of the building currently have no HVAC system. There will also be “vastly improved” bathrooms, which will be single-use and gender neutral with lockable doors.
Parking would be reduced from 33 to 27 spaces to make room for an accessible ramp to the back entrance.
Tony Hsiao, an architect with Finegold Alexander, said the renovations will retain the historic character of the building, which was built in 1783 and has served as the town or city hall since 1841. That applies particularly to City Council chambers on the third floor, he said. The mayor’s office will also remain on the third floor.
“We’re trying to retain the character and layout as much as possible, especially on level three,” Hsiao said.
The city plans to come back before the City Council in the fall seeking approval for the project. If approved, construction would begin in May 2025 and by done by the end of 2026, according Cahill’s presentation.
The former Family Dollar store, at 218-226 Cabot St., is available as a temporary home because it was taken by the city by eminent domain last year for $7.35 million, a move that preserved 108 public parking spaces.
After the city moves back into City Hall, it plans to sell the Family Dollar building with the intention of affordable housing being built there.
Staff Writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@salemnews.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.