Addison opens renovated town hall

The Town of Addison opened its new town hall Nov. 10, converting the former Addison Conference Centre into municipal offices at 15600 Addison Rd.

The renovation came in under budget and took about a year to complete, according to City Manager David Gaines.

"We were able to do this renovation for just $2 million," Gaines said. "We came in and put up the walls and did all the renovation you see for a relatively small amount of money."

The building closed as a conference center during COVID-19 and sat mostly empty. Town officials began using one room temporarily for council meetings about a year and a half ago while evaluating long-term options.

General services director Bill Howley managed the renovation, preserving the exposed wood beam ceilings while adding permanent walls, modern offices and upgraded council chambers.

"We kept the wood ceilings. We kept the beams," said Mary Rosenbleeth, director of marketing and tourism. "The overwhelming feeling from the community was, 'I am so happy you kept the integrity of the building.'"

The facility houses about 22 employees across economic development, marketing and tourism, human resources and volunteer services. It includes five conference rooms and council chambers with new audio-visual equipment.

The entrance features rotating exhibits by local artists. Current displays showcase work by Kerry Adcock, with pieces available for purchase.

About 150 residents toured the facility during a town meeting, according to Faith Alford, senior communications associate.

"They really wanted to focus on adding space and making sure they had a lot of collaboration," Alford said. "Different groups can come to this lobby and have different meetings."

The move solves cramped conditions at the old town hall on Belt Line Road.

"Old Town Hall was a house," Alford said. "They had renovated it but it was tiny compared to this."

The previous facility housed council chambers in a converted garage. The human resources department had no private entrance, requiring employees to walk through other departments for confidential meetings.

The historic building will remain in use. Town officials plan to maintain staff there and keep the parlors open for homeowners association meetings and community gatherings.

"Old Town Hall is very special to Addison," Gaines said. "It's going to continue to be a part of who we are as we move forward."

The new location sits near the police station, fire station, service center and Addison Airport, adjacent to Addison Circle Park.

The move was swift. Within a week, employees had packed, relocated, unpacked and hosted a town meeting at the new facility.

"It's been kind of a whirlwind," Rosenbleeth said. "But everybody's in."

The first council meeting at the new location took place Tuesday, Nov. 18, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Residents will find more seating in the council chambers and upgraded technology for in-person attendees and remote viewers.

"We have a lot more seating capacity, and the visuals and the audio are fantastic," Gaines said. "There'll be somebody at the front desk, and they can point them where they need to go."

Looking ahead, the town's next major project is the police station, which Gaines said is "in dire need of repairs."

A bond committee is developing recommendations for that project, with a possible election in May. The town has also signed an agreement with a developer for a project near the upcoming Silver Line light rail station.

"That's really gonna be the catalyst for this whole area," Gaines said.

But amid the growth, Gaines said the town will keep service at the forefront.

"We'll continue to have that feel that we always had in Addison where we show the Addison way and we go out of our way to have exceptional customer service," Gaines said.