City of Manassas City Hall
Manassas, VA
Size:
31,000 SF
The City of Manassas’ existing City Hall, built in 1984, retained many of its original finishes and mechanical and electrical systems. The phased renovation project involved programming with multiple departments, including the city manager’s suite, mayor’s office, finance, human resources, treasurer, commissioner of revenue, and community development. Our team met with each department head individually to discuss their specific programming needs.
The renovation aimed to reorganize space to meet the current needs of each department and create more inviting customer service areas. Key design features include: limiting public access to the lower floors, incorporating a public community room on the first floor; strategic areas throughout the building for the display of public art and new energy efficient mechanical systems, and updating the electrical, and data systems to correspond with current technologies.
Current ventilation codes necessitated upgrading the entire building’s HVAC system. Our team integrated the new system with the City’s Building Automation Systems hub, allowing for better energy monitoring and understanding of consumption. The project included a partial façade replacement, which both increased the thermal performance of the building but also provided additional daylighting into the spaces. The new façade and windows also mitigated noise from the nearby train tracks. The façade's brickwork, inspired by the existing architectural aesthetic of the historic town hall and community buildings, creates a cohesive aesthetic that reinforces the cultural identity through architectural continuity.
Unforeseen conditions, such as the discovery of water-damaged walls, required remediation. An analysis of the building’s structural framing revealed the need to reinforce the building's existing structural system to ensure the building is compliant with current building codes and can serve the City for another 40 years. These issues resulted in some schedule delays between deliverable milestones, but our team managed through constant communication with the City of Manassas and our subconsultant team, ultimately delivering the project on time.
Throughout the renovation project, the City’s Community access TV is broadcasted through City Hall and needed to remain operational as they serve critical functions. This required coordination of power and temporary power to the server room to ensure continuous operation.
Located within the City’s historic district, the design was vetted through the City’s architectural review board for approvals. As part of a long-term vision for the City’s center of government, Samaha conducted massing studies to identify a potential new building on the same site.
The City of Manassas' City Hall renovation project not only updated and reorganized the space to better serve the needs of its departments and citizens, but also respected and reinforced the historical and cultural identity of the community. The integration of modern systems and thoughtful design ensures that the building will continue to function efficiently and effectively for many years to come.
