Renovations making good progress at Presque Isle City Hall

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Construction crews are still working to complete the renovations to Presque Isle’s City Hall’s interior and exterior, with an upgraded interior to be more energy efficient and to have better wheelchair accessibility.

Renovations on the first and second floors have been completed for City Hall, while construction work is happening for the third floor and exterior around on the right side and behind the building. Another portion of City Hall being worked on is the west egress of the more than 100-year-old building.

Renovations for the third floor have taken several months so far. Projections for finishing the renovations haven’t been set, but City Manager Martin Puckett said they are near the end, depending on the subcontractors’ schedules. When construction began last year, the City Hall staff were relocated in and outside of City Hall.

“It’s been nice to have the public back on two levels of the three for City Hall, so currently the contractors are working on the third floor,” City Manager Martin Puckett said.

Employees for City Hall returned to their offices on the second floor three months ago with the first floor completed by May 2021. The general contractor for the project is Devoe Construction, which hired some subcontractors, according to Public Services Director Dana Fowler.

The council chambers are being worked on and the main electrical panel is being installed with the electric wiring having been upgraded, along with a new phone system. Six heat pumps have been installed and all the windows were replaced to help reduce the building’s energy consumption.

“I was on the first floor temporarily for a while. I heard a lot of comments that were very positive from the public,” Fowler said. “They think it looks more modern, it’s lighter. We used to have a lot of dark paneling.”

The first floor has a new employee break room and conference room with remote access installed. Interior walls have been sheetrocked with more solid doors replacing the hollow core ones. Fowler said some of the old windows couldn’t be opened before renovations.

“We have been pretty lucky with a majority of the construction materials we have on hand, but some of the subcontractor work we have been waiting on their schedules to wrap the project up,” Puckett said.

Puckett said they have addressed the American with Disabilities Act compliances with the installation of a wheelchair ramp and bathrooms on each floor.

“It’s all positive feedback. They say it’s a lot brighter in here and more up to date than what it has been in the past,” City Clerk Kim Finnemore said.  

Puckett hopes that the installation of a new flag pole will happen before the ground freezes.

Some of the offices have been subdivided with the water and sewage district office being divided into three offices instead of one big office. Puckett’s office on the second floor used to be part of the water and sewage district office.

“I’ll be anxious to having our meetings back up there in the council chambers instead of having to run over to the Rec Center,” Finnemore said.

Puckett said the city employees and the public have liked the updates of the facilities and multiple conference spaces to hold meetings and a dedicated space for businesses to review applications.

“It’s been a more workable space for the employees and the public. It’s a much more professional setting than what it used to be,” Puckett said.