City Hall Annex Renovation

The design team was asked to collocate three City departments that were being housed at separate sites.  Options included renovating a mothballed 1905 fire station in the heart of downtown (next to City Hall), demolishing that building and building new in the same location, or looking at new sites. Community interest was mixed; some expressed interest in saving the former fire station, others were concerned about cost and viability. After carefully evaluating the building’s structural integrity and calculating renovation costs, a collective decision to renovate was reached.

The condition of the original brick and granite façade was unknown, as it was concealed behind a flat brick veneer and glass-domed elevated connector to City Hall that were added in the 1970’s and 80’s. Through forensic investigations, research, and grant funding, restoring the original façade was ultimately included in the $2.9M project budget.  Fortunately, it turned out to be largely intact.

The exterior brick wall was examined for its structural integrity and found to be sound. Insulating the wall was a concern, as changing the hydrodynamics of the brick by insulating could slow the release of water and cause the freeze/thaw cycle to expedite deterioration. Hydrophilic insulation and a humidity variable diffusion membrane were selected to ensure the longevity of the existing wall. The system lets water vapor pass through, allowing the wall to “breathe” while also providing significant amounts of insulation.

The structural engineers’ consensus after evaluating the existing second-floor framing system was that it shouldn’t still be standing. At some point a 4” topping slab was added to the wood-framed second floor, adding considerable dead load. The renovation replaced the slab with a lightweight leveling system. The preserved historic fabric was accentuated, and the original brown board sheathing and floor joists exposed alongside new, blonde, rough sawn reinforcing wood members. Much of the first-floor ceiling was left open to the structure above.  The renovated building includes individual offices, group work spaces, conference space, and common areas.

The dilapidated concrete ramp in front of the building was also removed, and the site was carefully re-graded to provide an accessible route from front and back parking areas without utilizing ramps.   A brick seating area with café tables and granite curb walls matching those at City Hall were added at the building’s front entry for all to enjoy the renovated, 11,424 sf building.  The project was completed in 2017.