City Hall Renovation Project

Click to enlarge image

October 2, 2024

The first floor of City Hall is starting to take shape as walls have been erected for various offices, according to interim Engineering Director Jefferson Davis.

Steel beams have been put in place that will allow for more space on the first floor for City Council Chambers. Council Chambers were previously on the third floor of City Hall and now will be located on the north side of the first floor.

Crews are working on the new elevator shaft, and the equipment is in place for the building’s HVAC system, Davis said. Ceiling repairs are underway on the second and third floors. The work of repointing the exterior continues, and decorative trim around the windows is being restored.

Davis said much work must still be done but the intention is to have the renovation done by the end of April 2025.

First floor Council Chambers

June 3, 2024

The contractor on the renovation work, Benchmark Construction, reports that old condensers have been removed from the roof of City Hall and replaced with new ones. Duct work has been connected and a new roof hatch is being fabricated.

New piping has been completed in the basement for the boilers and the work on wiring is ongoing. 

On the first floor, the demolition to create the elevator pit is about 75 percent complete. Steel stud framing is about halfway done, duct work is 75 percent finished, and pipe and duct insulation is around 75 percent complete. New windows are being installed around the first floor and steel plate reinforcement has been added to the columns in the City Council Chamber.

May 8, 2024

The wiring for the control panel in the basement is now halfway complete, and piping and wiring for the fire alarm is 80 percent complete. Boiler and other work in the basement also is nearing completion.

Excavation work for the elevator pit on the first floor has resumed and steel framing along the floor has begun. Metal door frames have been delivered and duct work along the floor is about 60 percent complete. Up on the second floor, crews have finished duct and pipe insulation, and continue to make progress on other work for that floor.

The ceiling grid on the third floor is about 80 percent installed and fire alarm boxes are being installed in the ceiling tile.

This is just a brief overview of the extensive renovation work that's ongoing at City Hall. The work is scheduled to conclude at some point in early to mid 2025, at which point municipal operations will return to City Hall from their temporary location a few blocks down Harlow Street at the Penquis building.

First floor offices

First floor elevator excavation

Third floor ceiling grid

March 19, 2024

The renovation of City Hall is progressing to the point that asbestos abatement on the first floor is about 80 percent complete as crews with Benchmark construction also work to replace windows, begin work on the new space for Council Chambers on the first floor and continue with the pit excavation to prepare for the installation of a new elevator. 

In the basement, new boiler piping is about 75 percent complete and other pipes for heating are being extended across the space.

Up on the second floor, the wiring for new lights and for the fire alarm is nearly done, as is the HVAC duct work. Heat pump lines have been tested and the conduit feed for new electric panels is 75 percent complete.

And on the third floor, wiring for new lights and the fire alarm is done, while the duct work for the HVAC system is completed and almost fully insulated.

Prior Code Department

New elevator location

February 23, 2024

The renovation of Bangor City Hall began in January and crews with Benchmark construction have completed about 90 percent of the demolition work needed on the first floor. Asbestos abatement is underway on that floor. 

Renovating the first floor is necessary to provide improved public access to city services. The project will include renovating all floors of City Hall and Benchmark will replace the elevator system while making improvements to building security and to its heating and cooling system, according to City Engineer John Theriault. Concrete slab has been cut to make room for the new elevator. 

Some of the other work that began in January included removing the ceiling, lights and duct system on the third floor; removing the boiler in the basement (new boilers are in stock and pumps and tanks are on-site); and laying out new heat pipe runs while also marking new duct holes through the walls. 

Additionally, the 8,000-gallon oil tank in the basement was cleaned and removed from the building. Demolition work on the second floor is about 75 percent complete and on the third floor it's about 95 complete. The demolition on these upper floors is related to the installation of the new heating and cooling system. Duct work on the second floor is about 20 percent complete, and heat pump and branch control units and lines for the floor are about 75 percent complete. Duct work on the third floor for new heating and cooling is about 90 percent complete. 

The renovation of City Hall is expected to last about 18 months, extending into the middle of 2025.

As work continues, the building is closed to the public. The City recognizes the temporary closure may cause inconvenience to some, and appreciates the community’s understanding and cooperation during this period of improvement. Municipal operations are currently being conducted at 262 Harlow St., in the Penquis building. People seeking municipal services must enter at the rear of the building.

First floor main entrance

Elevator pit location

January 2024

Clerk office

Treasury Department

Code Department

Old boiler removal

Parking area