Springfield Historic City Hall

The $23.24 million project is expected to be finished early next year.

The project aims to make the building more accessible and modernize many elements while preserving its historic features.

Flanked by an entourage of city staffers and local journalists, all nine members of Springfield City Council donned hard hats to take a field trip from their weekly lunchtime meeting on Tuesday. They got an early look at multi-year renovations going on at Historic City Hall.

Along with revenues from Springfield’s voter-approved quarter-cent capital improvements sales tax, rental payments from a new workforce development building would help pay back the bonds.

Starting in October, you won’t find City Council meetings at the local government campus in downtown Springfield.

Springfield’s Historic City Hall on Boonville Avenue and Chestnut Expressway dates back to 1894. It was built as a U.S. Post Office and Customhouse — but for 85 years it has hosted City Council meetings and other city work. New plans call for facility upgrades using a new type of construction management.