Warsaw’s new city hall is located in downtown Warsaw and across from the county courthouse. Pictured are Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and his secretary, Michelle Bormet, in their new offices. (Photo by Phoebe Muthart)

The newly remodeled Warsaw City Hall is now open to the public. The new location is at 102 S. Buffalo St. in downtown Warsaw, was the former site of a bank.

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said the renovations cost $2.1 million. The idea for a new city hall came about after a 2002 study on the downtown area was conducted by HyettPalma Inc., a national consulting firm specializing in the economic enhancement of downtowns and older commercial districts. Space was one of the issues addressed concerning the old city hall building.

“We wanted a city hall that projected a better image for the city,” said Thallemer. “Plus, it’s a central location. We hope it may bring some new business to the downtown.”

When the century-old building became vacant after a bank moved out of it, the city bought it for $1.3 million from the Maish family. “It was a better value than new construction,” said Thallemer. “Plus, due to the economy, we were able to purchase it at a good price.”

Thallemer said the new city hall serves as a central location for the city’s business. The departments located at the new building include the mayor’s office, clerk-treasurer’s office, human resources, building and planning departments and the wastewater payment office. The facility also houses the Warsaw City Council chambers and serves as a place where other city meetings are held.

And there is room for growth. The third floor is accessible but currently vacant, except for storage. A basement is also used for storage or future growth.

The building is also energy efficient, said Thallemer. New LED lighting has been installed and are motion activated. A state-of-the-art heating and cooling system keeps the temperatures in the 30,000-square-feet of office space uniform. Only eight buildings in the state have this kind of system, said Thallemer.

The Warsaw Police Department will soon have a second office in the newly remodeled building. It will serve as a second hub for the department and one that is located in downtown and west of the railroad tracks which often delay response time due to frequent train traffic.

The second police department office will also serve as the base for the bike patrol division, which is active in the summer time, but “Increased presence is the main reason,” said Thallemer.

An open house of the new city hall is being planned for the spring, in April or May, although an exact date has yet to be determined.