Newberry Celebrates Opening of New City Hall with Ribbon Cutting

NEWBERRY – Newberry officials marked a major milestone in the city’s growth Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the city’s new City Hall, a long-anticipated project designed to centralize municipal services and better serve residents.

The ribbon cutting was held Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, formally ushering in the opening of the two-story, 11,000-square-foot facility in downtown Newberry. The event followed a public open house held during the city’s Fall Festival in November, which gave residents an early opportunity to tour the building ahead of its official debut.

Construction on the new City Hall began in September 2024 and has progressed steadily, culminating in a modern municipal facility that brings multiple city departments together under one roof for the first time in decades.

Previously, residents seeking city services often had to visit multiple locations. Community Development and the Building Department operated out of the historic Little Red Schoolhouse, while other departments were housed in Annex 2 or the former City Hall building. City officials have said the new facility was designed to streamline operations, improve accessibility and provide a more efficient experience for residents, developers and business owners.

The building’s first floor is dedicated to high-traffic, customer-facing departments, including Finance, Community Development, Customer Service and the Building Department. The second floor contains 18 offices and three collaborative work areas for city staff. An elevator serves both levels, though most public-facing services are intentionally located on the ground floor for ease of access.

A key feature of the building is the 1,246-square-foot City Commission Chamber, designed to accommodate larger audiences for public meetings. The chamber includes an accordion wall that allows the space to expand for large gatherings or contract for smaller meetings, along with updated technology to support presentations and public engagement. While the building does not include private offices for the mayor or commissioners, meeting rooms are available for private discussions when needed.

City planners emphasized that the building’s architectural design complements the surrounding downtown area while offering modern functionality. Officials have described the project as a long-term investment that supports Newberry’s continued growth and evolving service needs.

The project team included Scorpio Construction of Gainesville and Monarch Design Group, with city staff closely involved throughout the planning and construction process. With the new City Hall now open, the city plans to renovate the former 3,300-square-foot City Hall building. Once completed, the two structures will be connected by a covered loggia, creating a paved outdoor space intended for community events, farmers markets and festivals.

Future improvements are also planned for the adjacent Little Red Schoolhouse Museum, which is expected to undergo upgrades during a later phase of the project.

With the ribbon cut and doors officially open, Newberry residents can now access a centralized City Hall designed to serve the community for generations to come.

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