Punta Gorda advances City Hall rehab after delays

After more than two decades of planning, delays and storm damage, Punta Gorda City Council is moving forward with repairs to City Hall, including its 1978 addition and the 1926 Historic City Hall at 326 W. Marion Ave. 

Work on the council chambers portion began April 1 and is expected to be completed in July, restoring a permanent meeting location for council members. During construction, the City Hall parking lot and off-street parking at the council chambers will be partially closed. 

City Council has been meeting at a city-owned building at 120 Laishley Court since Hurricane Ian in 2022 caused extensive damage to both the historic building and the chambers addition. The structures were subsequently closed. 

Initial restoration work is underway at Historic City Hall, where roof repairs costing $186,000 have been completed. 

The buildings have sustained damage from multiple hurricanes over the years, beginning with Hurricane Charley in 2004. After Hurricane Ian shuttered the site, additional storms — including hurricanes Helene and Milton — brought heavy rainfall that worsened conditions. Officials cited water intrusion, failing electrical and plumbing systems and potential mold and deteriorating plaster among the issues. 

At its April 8 meeting, City Council is expected to award a $359,000 contract to Parker Mudgett Smith Architects Inc. for preservation work on the nearly 100-year-old Historic City Hall. The firm will have 16 months to complete the project. 

Funding for the work will come from a voter-approved 1% sales tax program totaling $11,252,971, though the full amount is not dedicated solely to City Hall improvements. 

“City Council will prioritize where they would like to allocate those funds amongst the 1% sales tax projects,” City Manager Melissa Reichert said. 

The decision to repair and renovate the buildings rather than construct a new City Hall followed a shift in council leadership after the November 2024 election. Three newly elected members joined the board and reconsidered prior plans for a new facility. 

In December 2024, council members reviewed earlier proposals that estimated a new City Hall complex would cost nearly $16 million. The most expensive option, at $15,775,674, included a three-story design and had been supported by the previous Council. 

“How the heck did we get to nearly $16 million?” Mayor Debi Lux said at the time. 

Council member Greg Julian, elected in 2024 alongside Jeannine Polk and Janis Denton, said he campaigned on limiting spending. 

“I ran on the fact we don’t need a Taj Mahal,” Julian said. 

Public opposition to the proposed new building played a role in the election outcome, with residents urging officials to pursue repairs instead of a costly replacement. 

Under the previous plan, developed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood and its consultants, the $15.9 million project would have replaced the 1978 addition with a three-story structure. 

Discussions about replacing or repairing City Hall date back to before Hurricane Charley but were postponed after the storm. The issue resurfaced in 2018, leading to the now-abandoned redevelopment plan.