Renovation of City Hall is near completion meaning Mayor Jacob Frey and his staff will have a new home. The media got a sneak peak Tuesday.
The third floor is where the mayor will soon reside. This is historic because moves are very uncommon in the 130-year history of the building according to Barbara O'Brien, Director of Property Services for the city.
"This actually signifies the third move that the mayor has had within this building," says O'Brien. "By moving the mayor and his staff to the side of the floor, we were able to free up additional space so that we could have equitable work environments and office areas for our city's council members. The infrastructure of the building has been updated, so that is a meaningful thing because that preserves City Hall as a place for the City of Minneapolis to conduct their business."
The project has yet to be completed and will last through the end of the year. But O'Brien says they are wrapping up construction and wrapping up preparation of the space the mayor will occupy this week. The five-story building occupies an entire city block. It was given National Register designation in 1974.
City Hall is one of the most historic buildings still left in Minneapolis. It was began in 1889 but didn't finish until 1906. The building was designed by prominent architecture firm Long and Kees and it is also one of the nation's largest municipal buildings still remaining from the 19th century.
The building has undergone significant changes in this latest renovation, bringing many things into the 21st century.
"The building has been updated with electrical, mechanical, the infrastructure of the building has been updated," O'Brien says. "So that is really a meaningful thing because that preserves City Hall as a place for the City of Minneapolis to conduct their business."
Once finished, Mayor Jacob Frey should be quite impressed. The total construction cost of the project is around $35 million.
"The mayor has been brought in on tours as the project has progressed and, and he has seen it to certain degrees. Has he seen it finished? No, but that will be coming up later this week."
The building has been restored and remodeled several times to adapt to modern needs, according to the city.
Between 1946 and 1949, the rotunda and a portion of the courtyard were enclosed. The clock tower's four faces were synchronized. The original terracotta roof was replaced in 1950 with sheet copper. Council Chambers were renovated from three stories in height to one in 1956.
