City Hall Opens Door to Improvements

The welcome mat is out once again at the front door to City Hall in Valparaiso. The front entrance had been closed for improvements since before the New Year. City workers celebrated their “re-entry” with a modest ribbon cutting on Feb. 28. “We’re so pleased to continue our stewardship of this grand old building,” said Mayor Jon Costas. “This building has been serving the city since she was built in 1917 as the city’s Post Office. These latest restorations extend her life for generations to come.

The most recent renovation and preservation projects at City Hall have focused on the exterior. The roof was replaced, the masonry was tuckpointed and repaired, surfaces were painted and polished, new landscaping was installed, and sidewalks improved. One of the final steps was the steps themselves, which were the original granite from nearly 100 years ago. Pieces had broken and cracked through the years and the handrails were unsightly and difficult to use. Care was taken to match new steps to the original surfaces and a large step was salvaged and transformed into an ornamental sign, proclaiming the building as City Hall. “We took a picture of the original lettering on the fascia and found a company to refinish the granite slab before engraving it to exactly match the old type face, right down to the letter ‘r’ with a little ‘toe’ in it,” said Don McGinley, director of the city's Project and Facility Management Office. All granite pieces were salvaged and will be used for seating or ornamentation throughout the city.

McGinley’s crew also uncovered a number of interesting finds during the renovation, including some rusted lighting that appeared to have been installed in the 1950s, presumably to light a flagpole, as well as some exterior lamps that had been retrofitted from original gas lighting. The original cornerstone was also revealed beneath overgrown landscaping and is now highlighted on the site.

While the front door entrance is now open, finishing touches remain as the original decorative light poles and sconces are refurbished and replaced. “The place looks so great that we’d like to investigate adding some attractive and energy efficient up lighting to showcase the city,” said Costas. “We’re looking forward to watching the new plantings sprout as the whole building takes shape to welcome visitors for many years to come,” he said. The City Hall preservation project was funded through economic development income tax funds.