Renovations to the Hastings City Hall building have officially stretched into their second year, with city officials now eyeing March 2026 as the new completion date. The project, which began in fall 2024, was initially scheduled to wrap up by December 31, 2025, but unforeseen structural updates have caused delays.
The historic downtown building has been fenced off since September 2024 to accommodate a multi-million dollar overhaul led by Genesis Contracting Group. The structure was vacated in April 2023 after mold and asbestos were discovered, triggering employee relocations and environmental remediation.
Toxic materials were removed prior to renovation work, allowing construction teams to begin focusing on both exterior and interior restoration. According to city leaders, progress is ongoing — but not without surprises.
“As anyone who has renovated an older building, you always find a few things that aren't quite as you planned,” said Hastings Director of Engineering Lee Vrooman. “Currently, they're working on a lot of stuff inside, the framing, starting drywall. If you've driven by you've seen they've got the windows mainly completed.”
While unexpected updates have added work, Vrooman confirmed the city does not expect costs to exceed the $7,092,000 bid from Genesis Contracting Group.
The next phase of construction will include:
Once complete, the renovated City Hall will include:
City officials emphasize that nearly everything inside will be new, allowing municipal operations to resume in a refreshed environment.
However, a move-in date for city staff remains uncertain.
The building has now sat empty for more than two years, and while exterior improvements are visible, timelines continue to adjust. The revised completion date in March 2026 gives crews additional time to address hidden structural issues uncovered during the rebuild.
Despite challenges, city leaders remain optimistic that the updated City Hall will better serve the community once reopened.
More details about occupancy and transition timelines are expected as construction progresses into 2025.
Originally reported by Ryan Valenta in News Channel Nebraska.
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