Statesville City Hall open house set for Feb. 5 at 2 p.m.

By: Jim McNally | Statesville Record & Landmark
Published: January 31, 2012 Updated: January 31, 2012 - 12:00 AM

Trace smells of paint, wood stain, sawed lumber and that “new-carpet smell” are still discernable throughout the Statesville City Hall building. But what else would be expected after a nearly 13-month-long renovation job that included major work on all four floors of the 120-year-old structure?

Heavy lifting on the project – which included the literal lifting of a pre-turn-of the-last-century safe that may tip the scales at a ton or so – has been complete for most of the last month, which has been spent tidying up the place following the spending of more than $2 million.

“We’re just working on punch-list items,” said project Supervisor Scott Annas of Hickory Construction Company. “We’re just tying up some loose ends and getting it cleaned up and all our stuff moved out before Sunday.”

It’s on that day that City Hall – which was originally opened exactly 12 decades ago in 1892 – will be re-introduced to the public during a three-hour open house.Visitors will be allowed to tour all three upper floors -- the top two with guides only -- as well as the refurbished basement of the facility, which was built, with the reluctant approval of President Grover Cleveland, as a post office and federal courthouse.

The building has undergone a number of renovations and upgrades over its long existence. But the one approved by the Statesville City Council two years ago was more aimed at restoring its former glory.

“With the council chambers and several other areas, we wanted it be as much like 1892 as we could get it,” said former Councilwoman Paula Steele, who has stayed on as the project’s unofficial point person despite her having served out her tenure on the council. “And I think, in most cases, we’ve accomplished that.”

Changes to the council chambers actually went in both directions along the time continuum.

Steele noted that new paint job in the room’s original shade, installation of pew-like seats and restoration of the chandeliers give the chambers a good view of the past. A staircase and added balcony were also removed to allow for an unimpeded view of the chamber’s back windows.

But the room has also been fitted with state-of-the art cameras audio-visual equipment. Each member on the council dais will also have screens showing documents and other information pertinent to the matters at hand.

Sunday’s open house will have actors portraying folks with a connection to the building’s storied past.Statesville Public Affairs Director Nancy Davis said one of the actors, for example, will portray a person who sat in on part of a murder trial when the council chamber room was a courthouse.

“Also, the guides will tell something about the history of each room and what work was done to restore it,” Davis said.

The open house will run from 2-5 p.m. Sunday. Entrances on both sides of the building will be open.

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Statesville City Hall open house set for Feb. 5 at 2 p.m.