City building renovations set to begin

Monday marks the start of the long-awaited renovation of the Daniel Boone City Building. The first phase of the $22 million renovation and expansion plan begins with improvements to the first floor.

“Once it’s done, it should be better for people who want to use city hall,” city spokeswoman Toni Messina said. “It will be a brighter environment, more efficient and something we hope people will appreciate.”

During the first phase of the renovation, two department of finance divisions will move from the annex at Eighth Street and Broadway to a permanent location in the City Building. The renovation

phase is scheduled to be completed Sept. 15.

The building’s current setup does not allow for the best customer service, Messina said. The utility payment drive-through, now located in the annex, will be built on the north side of the building.

“There will be a little bit of disruption for a little while, but we’re going to try to make this as smooth as possible,” assistant city manager Tony St. Romaine said.

During the second phase, the annex will be demolished and a five-story addition to the City Building will be constructed. The third phase will bring a renovation of the second through fifth floors.

The entire project is expected to be done by 2010. It’s part of a larger plan to centralize city government in an energy-efficient, modern building.