Right now, Eugene’s new City Hall smells like fresh paint, new carpet and sawdust. Renovations on the project, which is located at the former Eugene Water and Electric Board headquarters at 500 E. 4th Ave., are nearly complete.
Eugene’s employees have been spread across several buildings since the old City Hall was demolished in 2015.
Facilities Director Jeff Perry said staff have already started moving into the South building, which has three stories and skylights that look into a large lobby.
“Being all in one building - it’s going to be not only more efficient, but I think it’s going to create a culture and an atmosphere of one big team,” he said. “We’re really excited about that value for everyone.”
Loren Berry, manager of design and construction for the project, said the most significant renovations were in the room that will serve as city council chambers.
It has a view of the Willamette River and the ceiling is paneled with salvaged material from the old city hall.
"If you look at the old pictures there’s about 14-feet long cedar timbers that were every three or four feet,” he said. “We saved those when the building was demolished.”
Berry said the city also has several art panels in storage that city staff plans to display again.
"There’s quite a bit of art that we saved, and some of that will be put into place here,” he said. “There’s some art panels, concrete panels that were on the building, some Jan Zach sculptures that are in storage right now, and we hope to see those on the site a little later.”
In addition to recycling materials, construction crews have added bathrooms, widened hallways and updated the buildings to ADA standards.
City Council chambers will have space for a slightly larger audience and will also have an overflow room when there are larger crowds.
A grand opening is planned for this summer.
Eugene City Council’s next meeting, on June 17, will be held virtually only. The first in-person meeting at the new City Hall is planned for June 24.
