Built in 1972, Norristown Municipal Hall currently houses almost every administrative office to manage municipal operations: Norristown Police Department; Norristown Fire Department; administration; building and code enforcement; finance; and planning and municipal development. Council Chambers is also located in Municipal Hall for the Municipal Council to hold their public meetings.
Discussions to renovate the building have been on-going since the mid-2010s, and is recording as a talking point at council meetings since 2016. Council approved the final plans in Nov. 2019 and approved the issuance of a bond to fund the $13 million project.
Since the fall of 2019, a number of burst pipes in the building has exacerbated the need to move quickly to get the renovation underway.
At their July 2020 work session, Municipal Council approved the terms of a lease agreement that moves non-police offices to Logan Commerce Center at Johnson Highway and Markley Street. Offices are expected to be housed there for 18 months starting in late 2020.
About the project
The $13 million renovation will provide the most substantive changes to the almost 50-year-old building, replacing its aging infrastructure with a new HVAC system, electrical and plumbing. Gorski Engineering, Inc. will be the project manager and Seiler + Drury Architecture is the firm providing architectural services.
An expansion of the building’s floor space will increase the overall square footage from 36,000 to 45,000 square feet (measurement expansions). The expansion involves cutting down the size of Council Chambers from a two-story room to a one-story room and putting more offices in that second floor space. The building’s attic will be converted from a storage space to office space.
How did we get here?
It has been a years-long journey in the making; 2020 marks the segue into the construction phase. Here is the timeline for how the project culminated.
2016
June 16- Municipal Administrator advises council upgrading the building is an on-going discussion.
2018
May 16 - Gorski Engineering hired as a project construction manager for the Capital Improvement Plan. The building renovation is part of the C.I.P. and review of the building will be a task for Gorski.
Aug. 21- Gorski provides update on municipal facilities.
Late 2018- After soliciting proposals for architectural consulting services, Norristown-based Seiler + Drury
Architecture was appointed to create renovation designs.
2019
April 16- Municipal Administrator updates council on the rehab project.
July 16- Gorski and Seiler + Drury present council with draft concept design.
Aug. 20- Council approves the renovation plans after a presentation on the project by the Municipal Administrator.
September- Discussion with department heads about the renovation design plans.
Nov. 19- Resolution 19-159 is adopted by a 5-0 vote of council to approve the final building design and to have Geotechnical Services completed.
2020
April 21- Update on renovation and parking lot project by Gorski.
May 5- Bond issuance approved by council to provide $13 million for the project (Ordinance 20-10).
May 19- Update on the Municipal Hall Parking Lot project by Municipal Engineer Khal Hassan and approval of final land development (Resolution 20-40).
July 7- Council approves Gorski to be the project manager for the Municipal Hall Renovation project (Resolution 20-50).
July 19- Terms for an 18-month lease agreement are approved by Council for temporary office space for non-police operations at Logan Commerce Center (
Aug. 5- Municipal Administrator advises council of potential
Documents
Municipal Hall Renovation Fact Sheet (PDF)
