CHEYENNE — On Friday, the Cheyenne City Council continued discussions about addressing issues with the city's downtown Municipal Building.

GSG Architecture presented two options: a $14.3 million renovation or constructing a new building for approximately $39 million.

While both options remain on the table, Mayor Patrick Collins expressed a preference for the renovation, citing its affordability and the fact that it meets the needs of the roughly 100 employees working there.

“This is a great building. It’s just been 50 years, and it just needs a new HVAC system, it needs some plumbing help, and it needs to be reconfigured,” Collins explained. “There’s a lot of wasted space here that I think if we were to go back and redo it, that we could make this building more accessible, more affordable, when it comes to having more space for our employees, and then I think we can also do a better job of customer service.”

GSG Architecture’s research revealed that 75% of employees are satisfied with the current building. However, some common concerns were raised about the HVAC system, ADA compliance, poor layout, and insufficient natural light.

The proposed renovation would address these issues, focusing on improving security, visibility, and parking lot access. Additionally, the design includes reconfiguring the layout to free up space and improve accessibility for the public.

“You’re not out of space here,” said GSG Architecture Principal James Holloway. “Generally speaking, the people that had expressed concern about their space being too small, a lot of it had to do with it being poorly laid out and poorly organized.”

The proposal suggests that the first floor house public meeting rooms, the city clerk’s office, and the city’s compliance department. The second floor would feature semi-public offices like the city engineer’s and planning department, while the third floor would be reserved for offices less frequently visited by the public, such as HR, the city attorney, and the mayor’s office.

A new 1,740-square-foot addition on the west side of the building is also proposed, which would include a new information desk, ADA-compliant elevators, and accessible bathrooms, with a separate entrance for employees. The estimated cost for the renovation is $14.3 million, although rising construction costs could increase this to around $21 million in five years.

The renovation project would require at least three to four months for contractor selection, a 12-month design process, and between 18 and 24 months for construction. Collins hopes that funding for the renovation will be included on the sixth-penny sales tax ballot next year for voter approval.