PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth City Hall closed for three consecutive days last week due to air conditioning failures, turning away residents who needed in-person services — and highlighting the challenges of maintaining a nearly 50-year-old building.
The city announced on Facebook that City Hall would be closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with employees working remotely.
Veronica Drewery has lived in Portsmouth for more than 50 years and visits City Hall every couple of months to pay her water bill.
“When I come I wanna make sure they’re available and they’re open for me to get in,” Drewery said.
See previous coverage: Portsmouth city council moves forward with negotiations on proposed new city hall and parking garage
Dennis Jordan Jr. tried to visit City Hall last week to get a vintage car tag. He said the closure was disappointing because he has limited time each week to handle city business.
“I only get normally once a week where I can get in and get some things taken care of,” Jordan Jr. said.
Construction began on the current City Hall building in 1979 and it opened in 1980. City officials said the age of the building and its support systems can make repairs and finding replacement parts difficult.
Officials also said the building has become challenging to adapt to modern processes.
“There has been and will continue to be ongoing maintenance for a building this size, this age, and that is heavily used,” the city said in a statement.
See previous coverage: Revamping Portsmouth City Hall: Proposal renderings released for consideration
The city of Portsmouth said maintenance involving the building's aged plumbing, elevators and HVAC systems is ongoing, in addition to normal maintenance.
The city did not provide the total cost of those three projects.
City Hall replacement still in the works
Portsmouth has been working toward replacing the current City Hall with a new building and parking garage near the Portsmouth Public Library on County Street.
But residents should not expect the move anytime soon. The city said the project is still about three years from completion.
The city said it is still working through an Interim Agreement with the developer, which runs through November. During this phase, city officials are meeting regularly with the developer to work on the design of the new building, including the layout of the parking garage and each floor of City Hall.
The goal is to complete 35% of the design work. The city said that milestone will allow the project price to be firmly established and help determine the next steps.
Design is expected to take about six more months, followed by 18 to 24 months of construction that is projected to start next year, according to the city.
Drewery said she believes the city is ready for a change.
“This building been here for years so it's time for a new look,” Drewery said.
Replacing City Hall is about more than the building's maintenance needs, officials say, as they also want to move city operations away from the valuable waterfront property where the current building sits.
City services continue during closures
While the closure affected people who wanted to visit City Hall in person, operations still continued, the city said.
Residents can use online and alternate facilities for payment options. Scheduled meetings can also be held at alternate locations, and residents can continue reaching city departments by phone and email.
“So, again, the facility may have been closed, but city operations continued,” the city said.
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