CAMBRIDGE, Md. - The historic city hall building in Cambridge is called the crown jewel, and a top priority is to revitalize it.
The historic building on Gay St. has been unoccupied since 2008 and city leaders want to be back in the building. But, it's going to take $8 million in renovations to do that.
City Manager Tom Carroll says heating, cooling and lighting would need to be replaced. Any additions would include handicapped accessible bathrooms and elevators.
"The building is an architectural gem. It's been empty for 15 years. We need to do something to both stabilize and reoccupy it and preserve it so that's why this is important," says Carroll. He adds that city leaders want to be back in the "hub" of the city. "A municipal city hall should be a corner stone in the central business district. And we're not far from this location but we need to have the cities presence in the heart of the downtown."
The former Mayor of Cambridge, Victoria Jackson-Stanley, used to work in the building. She agrees that revitalization while preserving the history is important. "What it means is that it's a landmark. When you come to Cambridge across that little bridge, you'll go directly into town and you run into this building. Many people consider this the landmark that gets you into town either right or left. So bringing it back to life will indeed bring the government back."
And Jackson-Stanley says there was a plan to preserve the building in 2014. She says she's glad city leaders have created this dream. "I'm glad this new council has decided to hold onto that idea. It's going to take money, and it's going to take a lot of elbow grease to get it done. I think it's worth the effort because it is some thing that signifies Cambridge," says Jackson-Stanley.
City Manager Tom Carroll says the city's goal is to be back in the building by 2027.