Newberry Offers Sneak Peek Inside New City Hall

NEWBERRY – Newberry residents will soon get their first chance to step inside the city’s new City Hall. City officials announced an open house on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, during the Fall Festival, inviting the public to stop by between 10 a.m. and noon for a brief tour led by Mayor Tim Marden or City Manager Jordan Marlowe. The event will offer a sneak peek of the long-anticipated facility ahead of the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 24.

Construction on the two-story, 11,000-square-foot City Hall is now in its final stage, signaling a major milestone in Newberry’s effort to bring key government services under one roof. The project broke ground in September 2024 and has progressed steadily over the past year.

For decades, residents have navigated multiple locations for city services — with Community Development and the Building Department operating out of the historic Little Red Schoolhouse, while other departments worked from Annex 2 across the street or the current City Hall building. The new consolidated facility aims to streamline services for residents, developers and business owners.

The first floor will house high-traffic, customer-facing operations including Finance, Community Development, Customer Service and the Building Department. The second level will feature 18 offices and three collaborative work areas for staff. While an elevator will serve both floors, most public services will remain on the ground level for convenience. The building does not include private offices for the mayor or commissioners, but meeting spaces will be available for private conversations when needed.

A centerpiece of the project is the 1,246-square-foot Commission Chamber, designed to accommodate more attendees during public meetings. An accordion wall will allow the space to expand for large gatherings or contract for smaller sessions. Additional conference rooms and updated technology will support modern service delivery and public engagement.

City planners say the building was designed to complement downtown surroundings while upgrading the functionality of city services. Officials describe the facility as a long-term investment supporting Newberry’s continued growth.

The project team includes Scorpio Construction of Gainesville and Monarch Design Group, with city staff actively involved throughout the construction process. When the new building opens, the existing 3,300-square-foot City Hall will undergo renovations and be linked to the new facility via a covered loggia. The connection will form a paved outdoor space intended for community events, farmers markets and festivals.

The adjacent Little Red Schoolhouse Museum is also slated for improvements in a later phase.

With completion approaching and public tours set to begin, residents will soon see firsthand how the new facility supports more centralized and efficient city operations.

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