New city building dedicated

STEUBENVILLE - The city dedicated its new $4.1 million Municipal Building on South Third Street Thursday afternoon with a Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony and an open-house for citizens.

The new building is 24,000 square feet and replaces antiquated office space in the adjacent City Annex Building, which had no handicap access or easy connections among offices, as well as being energy inefficient.

"It is my honor and privilege to present to you your new house," Mucci said to the citizens prior to cutting the ribbon.

The building houses a variety of municipal offices, including the police and fire chiefs, the city manager, mayor and city council, the health department, water department, engineering department, planning department, finance office, civil service, law director and recreation offices, as well as the utilities collection office.

The City Annex Building's demolition is scheduled for the weekend of July 17-18, said City Manager Cathy Davison. City officials are planning to create a pedestrian plaza linking the municipal complex to the county courthouse across Market Street.

In the annex building, a visitor walked into individual office areas, each with a separate reception area. In the new building, a large central reception lobby welcomes visitors. Signs guide visitors through the building to individual offices, each equipped with new, modern furnishings. Offices are smaller than they were in the annex building, but are easier to heat and cool. Mucci said the city already is seeing returns on the investment in lower utility costs.

"It is more efficient for the citizens and for city government," Mucci said.

Among the features of the building is a specially equipped conference room, paid for through a grant from the Charles and Thelma M. Pugliese Foundation and with money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the health department. The conference room is equipped with its own generator and can be used as a command post in the event of a disaster, Mucci noted. The Pugliese Foundation was represented by H. Lee Kinney during the dedication.

"We're extremely excited about the conference room, which can function in any emergency the community could face in the future," he said.

The health department has a separate entrance fronting on Third Street and features upgraded facilities, including waiting areas and exam and treatment rooms that are the same as those in modern physician's offices.

Mucci singled out City Council members Gerald DiLoreto, Eddie Joe Chanoski, David Fortunato, Rick Perkins, Greg Metcalf, David Lalich and Al Stasiulewicz for making the decision that led to the construction of the building.

Mucci noted there had been questions about constructing the building now.

"We will prove to the citizens that this is the right investment for the citizens of the City of Steubenville," Mucci said.

Mucci noted the Cattrell Cos. of Toronto, represented by Buzz Cattrell and Christine Hargrave during the ceremony, was chosen for the design-build project and he credited them and M&G Architects for their work.

Mucci also said city staff is to be credited for helping make the transition to the building go smoothly.

(Giannamore can be contacted at pgiannamore@heraldstaronline.com)