Council gets first look at Public Safety Building

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville City Council members got their first look at the city's new $19-million Public Safety building Thursday morning following a brief work session.

Veteran councilman Bob Hamrick said the two hundred seat court room and council chamber was a long way from meeting in the old city hall upstairs where there only a few seats.

"Up on third floor we probably had a seating capacity of about 25," Hamrick recalled. "This is just magnificent.

Council plans to hold 2011's first council meeting in the new building off Queen City Parkway next January; work is complete on the building and grounds, with some interior work still underway. The Gainesville Police Department plans to move into their part of the new building by November 1st.

During their work session Council reviewed the $144,000 demolition contract for the old Public Safety Building downtown. That demolition is set to begin in early December as soon as police and fire services move into their new headquarters.