Paducah’s 50-year-old City Hall is showing its age and doesn’t meet modern seismic standards. Rust, cracks and concrete falling from the canopy can be seen around the building, prompting the Paducah mayor and City Commission to consider a nearly $16 million renovation.
Paducah Public Works Director and City Engineer Rick Murphy said the edge of the building is sagging as much as 9 inches in some places.
Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering mechanical engineer Baccus L. Oliver told the mayor and commissioners the building canopy needs attention immediately.
“You need to initiate your plans for the removal of the canopy, since ’78 we’ve known it’s been deflecting and it’s just continuing to deflect more,” Oliver said. “And, the canopy is going to have to be dealt with in the very short foreseeable future.”
Murphy said plans are already being made to restrict visitors from accessing areas around city hall.
A 1978 assessment also showed roof deterioration that hasn’t been addressed.
To bring the facility to seismic standards the canopy and floor-to-ceiling windows would be removed and half of the building’s exterior walls would need reinforcement at an estimate of $5 million. With interior renovations the total moves up to nearly $16 million. Those renovations to would last up to two years to complete.
A newly built city hall will cost around $10 million to construct. City Manager Jeff Pederson says he’s researching temporary locations for City Hall.
