Most of the City of Prescott’s departments have moved from its former City Hall at 201 S. Cortez St. to the National Bank of Arizona building at 201 N. Montezuma St., where an open house was held March 9.
The new location has one-third more floor space, and the new council chambers is double the size of the old one, with about 250 seats.
All departments have relocated except Development Services and Utility Billing, which both have public service counters. No moving date has been set as of press time.
The $2.5-million sale of the old city hall was approved in February at the final City Council meeting to be held in its chambers.
Officials had been negotiating with Stroh Architecture LLC and Phoenix Rising Investments after the companies’ initial $2 million proposal was the council’s top pick for the job last October. Interim City Manager Tyler Goodman said the property had been appraised at $2.2 million.
The 61-year old former city hall structure will be demolished.
Led by Prescott architect Douglas Stroh, the design firm released a conceptual design for a planned 5-story building with a 20,000-foot hotel, 50 apartments and underground parking, but Goodman said major changes are likely before the final design is submitted for approval after some residents were concerned about building height and other factors.
Updated renderings and designs are expected to be submitted to the Historic Preservation and Planning and Zoning commissions beginning in June. Officials will also negotiate a development agreement that will include many details of the project, with the designs and agreement possibly reaching the Council for consideration in September.
The sales agreement will be voided if all city approvals aren’t obtained by May 31, 2024.
“This is not the be-all end-all, it’s the first step of many, many steps to not only completion but just to begin construction,” Goodman said.
The proceeds from the sale will go toward the renovation of the new city headquarters.
