Citrus Heights’ new 35,000-square-foot city hall opened for business at noon on Tuesday, although exterior painting was still in-progress and a construction fence sectioned off a yet-to-be-completed front plaza area.
Monica Alejandrez, assistant to the city manager, said delays in painting and installing the City seal above the front entrance were due to a bucket lift malfunctioning. Everything is scheduled to be completed in time for a public dedication ceremony on Aug. 25.
Stepping inside the building’s front entrance, the new hall features an expansive “one-stop” public counter for accessing all city services — from building permits to animal services. Large windows allow much of the interior to be naturally lighted, fitting with the building’s energy-efficient design.
Although the interior appears complete, Alejandrez said finishing touches are still being made to the new council chambers. During the council’s first scheduled meeting at the new hall on Sept. 8, a time capsule with various letters from city leaders and historic memorabilia will be sealed and buried, for opening at the City’s 50th anniversary in the year 2047.
As of Tuesday afternoon, other remaining items to be completed included exterior work on the rear entrance, painting of several front portions of the building, and installation of a front plaza area that will feature a large, 25-foot-wide fountain.
As previously reported on The Sentinel, Mayor Jeannie Bruins called the new hall a great accomplishment for the City, highlighting that the $22 million building was constructed without incurring any debt. She described the hall as a “valuable amenity for the community and a great way to usher in [the City’s] 20-year anniversary in 2017.”
The project was unanimously approved by the city council last March and began construction several months later in July. The entire project will end on track with the original estimated timeline of 12 to 14 months to complete and will also remain on or below budget, according to Alejandrez.
A public dedication outside the new city hall has been set for 9 a.m. on Aug. 25. Public tours of the new hall will be held after the ceremony, with city hall opening at noon for regular business on the 25th.
The address for the new hall is 6360 Fountain Square Dr., next to the post office.
