Ames City Hall Renovation

Ames, IA

After failing to pass a bond issue for the construction of a new city hall, the City of Ames hired frk to study the possibility of converting the old Ames High School to a city hall. This proved to be the perfect fit for Ames. The location of the structure was conveniently within the downtown area, and the concrete and brick building was still in good condition. The challenge was to bring together the many different city departments that were scattered throughout the city in different buildings. The interior walls of the old classrooms and corridors were demolished to permit the best layout of the new city offices. The highlight of the facility is the council chambers and courtroom located in the old library. The original woodwork was restored and expanded on to give a rich oak appearance to the main public gathering space.