CHAMBERLAIN -- The city of Chamberlain has decided to go out with the old and hopes grant money allows it to come in with the new.
The City Council has approved the demolition of the old City Hall building at 112 N. Main St. and has plans to construct a $1.7 million community center to replace the building. The city is about $500,000 short of the expected cost and is applying for state grant money to finish off the funding portion of the project and start construction.
While the old three-level building does have historical value dating back to the 1920s, it has been vacant for several years. The building is not handicap accessible and has had issues with mold and asbestos. The city offices were moved up the street in 2004, to 715 N. Main St.
Chamberlain City Engineer Greg Powell said recently he hopes the building will start coming down this week, and the city is drafting plans for a design. If grant money is obtained, the goal is to have the one-story building finished by June 2013.
Proposed features include a kitchen, meeting spaces and public restrooms. According to Powell, one of the biggest outcries that occurred when the old City Hall building closed was that there were no longer public restrooms on Chamberlain's Main Street.
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"There will be public restrooms once again on Main Street of Chamberlain, South Dakota," he said with a laugh.
Some community groups have stepped forward to ask about potentially having space in the new building. The city recently hired a recreation coordinator who will be housed in the new facility and will be responsible for the building. Powell said Sanford Health has inquired about potentially using the building for non-traditional students studying nursing, and the local Boys and Girls Club has asked about available space.
"The city of Chamberlain and the City Council have worked hard on the project, and they're very committed to reinvesting in our Main Street businesses," Powell said. "We're excited about the project, and it will be nice to have a functional building on Main Street again."
