By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(July 17, 2025) The Berlin Town Council approved a proposal from Haley Architecture this week for additional services to the Town Hall renovation project.

The initiative will now include an interior renovation of the existing planning and zoning building, an update to the primary front of Town Hall, and a more focal main entrance.

The Berlin Town Council approved Haley Architecture’s proposal at its Monday, July 14 meeting. The additional architectural services will yield a cost of $75,130.

The newly added services to the initiative include “a total interior renovation of the existing planning and zoning building to accommodate Economic Development’s relocation, as well as added architectural services to update the main front facade of Town Hall, create a more prominent main entry, and reconfigure the service entry areas.”

A significant change to the plans includes brand-new mechanical systems. According to the firm’s submission, the initial scope of the work “was limited to reuse and reconfiguration of the Town Hall building to accommodate the architectural renovations.” Now, the project will be expanded to “demolition and replacement of all HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems. It will also include the planning and zoning building.”

Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall added that the replacement of mechanical systems is necessary because the main entrance is being changed, allowing for easier access to the facility’s new elevator.

“The main entrance will be where the stair tower is now, so that people can come in, and it will flow better with planning services and customer services as well as access,” Tyndall said. “We wanted access to the elevator in the first and second buildings without having to go outside of the building. If someone needs an elevator, you don’t have to walk outside for those things, whereas the original first draft of the design kept the mechanical systems that were there intact.”

Tyndall added that another modification to the Town Hall renovation project is to create a more prominent front entry. This change will allow Berlin locals to enter through the main entryway, and will be a “focal historical point” where residents can learn about the history of the building.

“Some of us may recall coming into public meetings through the front door,” the mayor said. “Security reasons and the way the building is laid out now are not suitable for that. Changes to the Town Hall plans would allow folks to again enter through the main entry point. The public will not have full, unfettered access to the building due to current societal conditions; however, we felt it was important for people to be still able to come through the front. We’re going to try to make that more of a [place] where people can learn about Town Hall history. It’s been a police station, a fire station, a library, a dance studio, lots of things along the way.”

The council intends to keep the project’s cost within the estimated $2.5 million.