By Skyler Hollins
The renovation of Lexington’s City Hall is on pace to be completed a little earlier than planned,
the city manager said.
“We are still on schedule to finish the project in August of 2026, and I have reason to hope it might actually be done in July,” City Manager Tom Carroll said.
Construction began in March. The project is expected to cost $5 million. The project is being
funded by a $21 million bond issue that is also paying for several other city projects.
The building, located at 300 E. Washington St., was built in 1893 and was originally a school. City government moved there in 1961. Over the years, only minor repairs were completed.
The building had longstanding problems, such as a leaky roof and heating and ventilation issues.
“Public servants need functional workstations to serve our residents,” Carroll said. “And our residents who share our commitment to historic preservation deserve a City Hall that Lexington can be proud of for the next 50 years or more.”
Carroll said there haven’t been any surprise problems uncovered in the renovation.
“So far, the project has gone about as well as we could expect for renovating a building built in 1893,” he said.
The first step in the renovation involved gutting the interior of the building and removing asbestos.
Arne Glaeser, director of planning and development, said the contractor took some city officials on a tour a couple months ago. He said the renovation work exposed the futility of many minor repairs made over the years.
“They had taken all of the previous layers of ‘improvements’ out and had the building down to a naked shell,” he said.
Carroll said construction workers are now installing new mechanical systems. They also are putting the finishing touches on the sprinkler system. And they are installing storm windows.
When construction began, the building’s roof was a big concern, said Patrick Madigan, director of public works.
“We knew there was a lot of water intrusion, and so there was significantly a little more damage to some of the rafters that required repair and replacement or supporting,” he said.
Madigan said the workers are in the process of weatherproofing the exterior of the building by repointing the bricks so they can focus on the interior in the winter months.
“This way, they can finish all the rough work that needs to happen on the inside,” he said.
For the rest of the year, construction workers will focus on flooring, plaster and painting.
Carroll said the renovations also will make the building more accessible for residents with disabilities.
Glaeser said the project has maintained a “commitment to historic preservation.”
“Overall, this will provide a much nicer environment for employees and customers than the depressing, old, tired building that we once occupied,” he said.