2025 5 20 Regular Session Packet 1

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Agenda Item  
XI. D.  Allen & Hoshall Proposed Feasibility Design Services for Athens City Hall  
Renovation and Public Service Complex Facility 
 
Overview 
City hall conditions, capacity, new construction, renovations, expansions, ADA compliance, 
HV AC replacement, and purchase of other buildings to be used as a city hall have all been 
discussed for some time. D uring the December 9, 2024 work session, this item was discussed 
further. During the December 17, 2024 regular session, the city council authorized the C ity 
Manager to obtain a commercial appraisal of the former BBT building to be used as a potential 
city hall. The appraisal was received and this item was further discussed during the January 13, 
2025 work session and the January 21, 2025 regular session. According to the January 21, 2025 
regular session minutes, no action was taken. 
 
Furthermore, during a special called meeting on February 27, 2025, the C ity Council authorized 
the City Manager to begin negotiations for the purchase of the Robert E. Lee Hotel with a 
maximum expenditure limit of $1.35M. As of March 6, 2025, negotiations with both property 
owners occurred and all pricing numbers, due diligence periods, and earnest costs were known.  
 
Following discussion during the March 10, 2025 work session, the consensus was to place this 
item on the March 18, 2025 regular session agenda under Old Business for further discussion.  
 
During the March 18, 2025 regular session, the city council voted to cease all  negotiations with 
both property owners. This action would leave new construction as the only viable alternative.  
 
During the April 7, 2025 work session, constructing a new 6,000 s.f. city hall annex on the existing 
city hall site to house the Police Department, renovating the existing city hall building, cost 
estimates, funding sources, general time schedule, and the advantages of constructing a new city 
hall annex and renovating the existing city hall were discussed. The consensus was to place this 
item on the April 15, 2025 regular session agenda under Old Business for further discussion.  
 
During the April 15, 2025 regular session, the majority of the city council voted to “authorize the 
City Manager to engage architects Allen & Hoshall to design plans and refine cost estimates for  
an annex and renovation to the current city hall.”  
 
After that vote, it was discovered that the NE corner of the city-owned property proposed for the 
annex was under a 2009 joint venture agreement with the YMCA for parking until April 2029 and 
not available to use.  
 
However, to keep in concert with the City Council’s directive of April 15, 2025, alternative plans 
were devised. One option could be  to construct a detached Public Safety Complex consisting of 
Fire and Police Department s on the existing city hall campus (concept plan is attached) . Stiles 
Street is just city property and not a part of the official city street system. Another option could be 
to expand city hall by adding expansions to both sides of the building with one side being 
administrative offices/IT offices/Council Chambers and the other side being police and fire 
expansion areas (concept plan is attached).  
 
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