CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Huntersville Town Board of Commissioners has given the green light to the construction of a new town hall.
On Monday, the board approved financing and entering into a construction contract during a vote, which is expected to cost less than $30 million. A new building comes with the promise of bringing nearly all town government employees into one location, intending to improve communication and streamline operations. The town government also says the new building will make accessing town services more convenient.
"The construction of a new Town Hall is a crucial step forward for our community," Mayor Christy Clark said in a statement. "This modern facility will not only provide a more functional workspace for the Town’s dedicated employees but also ensure that we can effectively meet the needs of our growing population. This shows our community that the Town is leading the way in investing in our downtown area, which is one of the priorities of this board. Our current office facilities are running out of room, and this new building will accommodate future growth while better connecting staff to each other, and connecting residents to staff and Town services.”
The new town hall will be located on NC-115, behind the current town hall. Town leaders say it will be 54,000 square feet, which should help with departmental growth. It also will feature what leaders say are improved meeting spaces and expanded office space.
“Town employees make Huntersville run, and without their dedication and professionalism, nothing would get done,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Jennifer Hunt in a statement. “We need to treat them like professionals and give them - and future employees - an appropriate place to work that doesn’t shuffle them around from cubicle to cubicle like furniture. If someone is still skeptical of the need for a new Town Hall, I would encourage them to come to a board meeting when a topic of interest is on the agenda and see that residents are sitting in the lobby because there isn’t enough space. If we want people to be involved and engaged in the civic process, the current atmosphere is not conducive to that.”
Construction is set to be completed by late 2025 and will be paid for by limited obligation bonds.
"We are looking forward to embarking on this important project that will shape the future of our Town and improve the ways we are able to serve our residents," said Town Manager Anthony Roberts in a statement. "The new Town Hall will bring our employees together and serve as a symbol of our commitment to providing exceptional services to our residents."
More information about the project can be found here.