Front corner and rear corner of the Old City Hall in North Olmsted, Ohio
HDC was awarded the project to prepare a feasibility study to update the city’s Old Town Hall to comply with current building code, life safety, and accessibility requirements for continued use. The Old Town Hall was constructed in 1914 to house the town’s administrative offices in the basement, which also included a council chamber, vault, and jail and a community center/auditorium on the first floor that was used for performances, meetings, and graduations. This building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places because in 1931, it was the site of the creation of the first municipal bus service in the country, which is still in operation today. Over the years renovations and repairs have taken place, including replacement of the windows and doors and partitioning of the front half of the auditorium into offices, restrooms, and a kitchenette. The jail was removed from the basement and the lower level is now mainly used for storage. The first floor is still used sporadically for meetings. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. HDC fast- tracked the accessibility portion of the report so that the city could submit for a grant that was due in mid-September. HDC recommended eliminating the deteriorated 1990s wheelchair ramp and replacing it with an elevator that provides exterior access at grade and access to the basement and first floor on the interior.
