After several delays in the construction process, Kent’s government finally has its own city hall building to call home. 

In the past, the city has shared buildings with the police and fire departments, and used older buildings to serve as a city hall. Despite these options, Kent residents hoped for a single facility to house city staff and council members, said Kent Service Director Melanie Baker. 

That wish has finally become a reality, as the building opened its doors on June 18 for a ribbon cutting ceremony and held an open house during the Heritage Festival on July 5. 

“This building was built with the City of Kent residents, businesses and Kent State University in mind,” Baker said. “We want to be open to the public and allow access to the Kent city government.”

Discussions of creating a city hall building began in 2017, but due to COVID-19, the construction process faced multiple setbacks from labor and material shortages, Baker said. 

She added Hurricane Helene also played a role, as it destroyed a laminate plant that was set to make the building’s furniture. In total, the new city hall cost $9.5 million to build. 

With the wait now over, the building is fully occupied by several departments and offices including the mayor, city manager, city council, finance and economic development among others. 

Although the building has only been opened for a few weeks, Baker said Kent residents are enjoying the new space. 

“I haven’t heard any complaints,” she said. “Things are working and functioning just fine.” 

Kent residents can use the building for several purposes such as receiving a new passport, paying bills and taxes, visiting council meetings and meeting with city officials. The new city hall will also have a community room that’s used by the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Kent to encourage economic development within the city. 

The design of city hall was prioritized to be “transparent and accessible to the public,” according to Baker. She said the extensive use of glass, entryways, elevators, speakers and monitors in the council chamber allow residents to have open access to city officials. 

In a statement to the Kent Stater, Kent City Manager Dave Ruller said the building’s infrastructure and design improves upon the last space to offer a better experience for visitors. 

“It’s the kind of modern, professional building that’s designed with transparency and citizen engagement in mind, so we’re excited to see how the space is able to inspire big thinking to advance the city’s strategic priorities,” Ruller said. “The building supports the use of modern technology that wasn’t possible in our former space, and we have queued up significant investments in technology that should enhance our customer experience and management capabilities.” 

With this new addition, Kent now has a city campus of the fire department, police department and city hall located adjacent to one another along Haymaker Parkway. 

To conclude his statement, Ruller said the city’s investments support downtown’s businesses and create a hub of activity throughout the day. 

“We’re hoping that the new city hall will be a point of pride for residents, students and visitors to our community for years to come,” he said. 

The new city hall building is located at 319 S. Water St. 

John Engoglia is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].