Doors open at updated City Hall

Published 10:46 am Thursday, August 19, 2010

SHORELINE

The doors to the new City Hall opened for business on Aug. 17 on the corner of North 175th Street and Midvale Avenue North.

Staff from the Public Works and Planning and Development Services departments remained in the Annex building next door while the City Manager, City Attorney, Human Resources, Parks and Recreation and City Clerk departments were moved into the new building.

The move won’t be complete until the Public Works and Planning and Development Services departments are settled into the building and open in their new location on Aug. 24. Once all city departments are moved into the building the next step will be to demolish the Annex building, create an amphitheater and finish a parking structure toward the back of the city hall, according to city manager Bob Olander.

“Even though we’re moving into the building right now the whole project won’t be finished until November,” he said. “But even before that we’re going to have our grand opening and community dedication in October.”

The Shoreline City Council will celebrate the official opening of the city hall during a ribbon-cutting dedication from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 10. Though formal tours won’t occur until the dedication ceremony, the public is welcome to stop by and take a look inside the four-story building, Olander said.

“One thing to note is the council wanted the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver or gold standard,” he said. “We’re in between now but we’re hoping for gold.”

LEED features of the building include a demonstration green roof over the council chambers, solar panels, light sensors to conserve energy and optimize the use of natural light in the office spaces and a rain garden.

The building will also be a place for community groups to meet and for suitable tenants to lease space, Olander said. Chairs can be removed from the council chambers where there are glass doors that can be opened to the courtyard for use during nice days or future events.

Since incorporation, the city has leased space for a city hall but a combination of bonds and money saved in previous budget cycles will pay for the building’s $33 million price tag. The Shoreline City Council authorized the sale of more than $22 million in bonds to pay for a portion of the new city hall during a July 29 special meeting.

The city will repay that amount over the next 30 years, according to finance director Debbie Tarry. An additional $11 million used to purchase the city hall was saved during prior years.