Watertown City Council looking at renovating former bank for new City Hall

WATERTOWN, S.D.(KWAT)–The Watertown City Council has agreed to take another run at seeing if a former downtown bank building can be renovated into a new City Hall without breaking the bank financially.

On Tuesday night, the city council agreed to a nearly $90,000 contract with TSP Architects for redesign, bidding and construction services.

The bank building has sat vacant for several years after the city bought it for $1.3 million.

An earlier bid to renovate it came in much too high and was rejected. Then a plan to sell the building to a private developer failed when the only bid came in at less than half the appraised value.

Mayor Ried Holien has never been in favor of moving City Hall into what used to be a bank, and he reiterated those sentiments prior to Tuesday night’s vote.

If an acceptable bid is received, renovation work could begin this spring.