BOZEMAN — In case you haven’t seen, Bozeman City Hall is under construction, and renovations are set to wrap up soon.
"We’ve actually been working towards this project for a couple of years to address a variety of needs that have been building over time," says Jon Henderson, assistant city manager in Bozeman.
He says the renovations were motivated by three goals: safety, space, and efficiency.
"First and foremost, we’re working to improve safety within the building for not just our staff but our patrons," says Henderson.
One of these safety improvements includes the glass barrier that now surrounds the finance department.
Henderson says many residents have described this renovation as the most visual indicator of a truly changing city.
"And also adding additional workspaces for a growing staff to meet the needs of a growing community," says Henderson.
I visited Henderson at his temporary office in Bozeman—a working situation many city staff have dealt with while expansions are made.
"And finally, also, trying to take opportunities to increase the energy efficiency within city hall," he adds.
Henderson says the building, which was once a library, has good bones and renovations are making the best use of the space they’ve got.
"So we’re actually not adding to the building at all, we’re just doing improvements internal to the structure to make sure that we’re making more useful and efficient for staff and citizens," he says.
If you visit city hall, you’ll notice it’s more than just a place of employment. Residents visit the creek with pets and can even relax inside at common spaces.
Design costs, including architectural, electrical, and design services—was approved by the commission for just over $198,000.
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Henderson says, "Costs, especially for construction in this market, are very challenging. So we work well ahead of time. In fact, we’ve been working on this for a couple of years to make sure we have the funding available and are being respectful of hard-earned tax dollars."
Information about using city services during this time can be found on their website.
"It’s been a number of months we’ve been under this renovation process," says Henderson, "And we’ve had to move certain departments around just to accommodate that schedule. But happy to say by mid-September we should have everyone back and comfortable in their new space."
