Tybee Island's City Hall updates are nearly done. Check out the progress
Nearly two years after Tybee Island City Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places and $1.5 million in renovations on the landmark began, it's nearly ready to open the doors to the public again.
With the foresight in mind to preserve as much of the building as possible, touches of the 85-year-old building still persevere. High ceilings, the auditorium and as much as the original wood flooring as possible is still in tact. Instead of the open auditorium long-time residents of Tybee may remember, it has been filled in with cubicles for city employees, however they can be easily removed to open the space back up. According to Interim City Manager Michelle Owens, it's a necessity to be able to revert the building back to its original glory in order to protect its status as a historical building.
City Council meetings were once held in the auditorium, people would gather and have movie nights and town halls and performances. Now, council meetings are held at the Tybee Island Public Safety Building on Van Horne Avenue, while city staff will be moving back into the old city hall to work and conduct business there.
The entrance of the building will have controlled access now, in contrast to the way residents used to be able to just walk in and go where they wanted. Now, they'll have to be buzzed in by city staff. While old windows and columns still adorn the building, remnants of the past, the building largely has modern finishings.
Previous: Town hall of history: Tybee's old city hall added to National Register of Historic Places
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"I haven't worked in the other building for so many years," Owens said. "I can't even believe this is the same space, it's lighter, it's airer, it feels more spacious. City Hall was built almost 80 years ago, and it went through maybe one renovation, one update. So, it was well overdue."
City staff will slowly return to the building in February through early March, and at some point in March or April have an open house for the community to see what they've done with the place.
"I think everybody's very excited to come back and see what we've done with the space," Owens said. "I think if people have the chance, when they're open they should definitely come and enjoy the space, because it's a historic building that at the same time feels very modern and contemporary."
Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Chatham County municipalities for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at dambus@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Tybee Island's City Hall updates are nearly done. Check out the progress
