Kersey Town Hall

By 2019, the Town of Kersey had outgrown its old Town Hall—a small modular building which housed city staff, the Police Station, and was shared with the town Library—and was in desperate need of a larger facility. They selected a historic structure on 1st St known as the “Kersey Co-op” for the new Town Hall. The building, built in 1814, stood vacant for years, leading to drainage issues, rotting wood, dilapidated brick walls, mice infestations, and a sizable bat population.

Hall Irwin was contracted to rebuild the structure into the new Town Hall, which is built to LEED standards and features Council Chambers with a ballistic-reinforced dais, fully equipped Police Department, tornado shelters, reclaimed beetle kill T&G ceilings, sophisticated low-voltage security and A/V systems, glass-walled conference room, indoor/outdoor fireplace, and a historical artwork vestibule with storefront glass looking out on 1st Street. Our team worked alongside the architect during preconstruction to ensure maximum reuse of original materials and an affordable GMP.

Some unique elements and challenges of this project include the following. First, our initial excavations unearthed all manner of old debris from under the foundation; large fans were used to ensure the enclosed space's air quality remained healthy for the workers. Second, the Town wanted to feature the original wood trusses and brick walls, and the back wall and center section of the roof were demolished to make room for a new popped-up roof, accommodating solatubes, daylighting, and an array of solar panels to power the building. Both of these design requirements required extensive shoring both inside and out while the structure was retrofitted to modern standards. Finally, we were able to repurpose original steel I-beams into a trellis structure on the patio around several flower beds, which were created with brick from the demolished east wall.

The complexity of this project provided a flourish of interesting learning opportunities for our team as we collaborated to provide the owner with a project they and the town can be proud of for decades to come.