By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
City Hall is undergoing a bit of renovation as it prepares for a big year.
St. Joseph’s City Hall turns 100 in two years along with the Missouri Theater.
St. Joseph Assistant City Manager, Dawn Lanning, says the city wants to celebrate in style.
“So, really, a lot of much needed maintenance has gone into that area through using both ARPA and some CIP funds to accomplish that,” Lanning tells KFEQmmunity. “Sidewalk repairs throughout. Some of that historical limestone that’s on the patio, there was some replacement of that.”
Congress authorized local allocations of ARPA money to offset losses during the COVID-19 pandemic and to help stimulate the economy. CIP, or Capital Improvements Program, funds come from a half-cent sales tax approved by St. Joseph voters.
Lanning says the Pioneer Woman statue and fountain have been removed, but will return. She says the fountain no longer worked and needs to be replaced.
“The fountain itself, the water feature, was broken. It was beyond repair. And some concern about there being a berm there and some visibility,” Lanning says. “So, we’re going to flatten all that out and then we are going to put another water feature back in that space with some sitting area for the community to be able to enjoy.”
The pioneer woman statue has been stored away for the winter. She will return in the spring once the project has been completed.
Work is well underway to create a grand staircase for Civic Center Park. Lampposts have been replaced to replicate the original lampposts.
The inside is also getting a touchup.
“Some of the interior work that’s going on is they are doing some painting of the walls and just some maintenance on the inside as well,” Lanning says. “City Hall’s a gorgeous building. If people haven’t been in there, they definitely need to come visit it.”
Both City Hall and the Missouri Theater will celebrate their centennial in 2027.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ