Bangor’s municipal services will be paused Aug. 7-8 as the city government moves back into the newly renovated City Hall building at 73 Harlow St., which will officially open Aug. 11 following 20 months of renovations.
The new building has been updated to be more accessible, secure, and easier to navigate.
The most essential city services, including assessing, clerk and treasury, community and economic development, code enforcement, planning and the city council chambers, will be moved to the first floor to make them easier to find for members of the public.
That’s a major change from the old layout, where getting to the council chambers required going up to the third floor and down a long hallway using an outdated elevator that wasn’t fully wheelchair-accessible.
“We are very excited to return to a new, renewed City Hall that’s more accessible and energy efficient,” said assistant city manager Courtney O’Donnell.
Residents visiting the new building for the first time can walk up to the customer service window to figure out where they need to go for a specific service, she said.
Some city staff have already begun moving into the new space, according to O’Donnell.
The school, engineering and legal departments will be located on the second floor. Other offices, including the city manager, human resources and finance, will be on the third floor.
Besides the new elevator that meets standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the building also features a new HVAC system and bulletproof glass in service windows.
Although the project is not quite complete, O’Donnell said the total cost is on track to come in around the $10 million as estimated previously.
Bangor will hold its first City Council meeting in the renovated space on Aug. 11 following a grand opening ceremony at 5:15 p.m. that day.
City officials hope that moving the council chambers to the first floor and making them more accessible will encourage greater attendance from members of the public, O’Donnell said.
