Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Renovation work is underway as part of the next construction phase at Howell City Hall.

The first phase involved combining offices and departments on the 2nd and 3rd floors and moving them to the first floor to improve accessibility and achieve efficiencies.

City Manager Erv Suida told WHMI this second phase is the most exciting stage of the project as it will bring council chambers up to the first floor so it’s more accessible. The voting precinct will also be moved up to the first floor to also make that more accessible and not dependent on an elevator.

The Police Department will also be moving up to the second floor and have a newly updated facility.

Suida noted the project also calls for installing a whole facility generator, which the building currently doesn’t have. He said that will be beneficial during power outages and allow staff to continue to work but it will also allow City Hall to serve as a warming and cooling station during times of crisis.
Council members have regularly commented that the council chambers were never intended to remain in the basement long term.

During first phase of the project, some improvements were already made in anticipation of phase two.

Suida says they’ll remodel the second floor and move the Police Department up. Once that’s operational, then work will begin to remodel the first floor and council chambers up.

Work will continue over the winter months. Suida said they’re hoping to have phase two done by August.