City of Salinas begins a $1 million renovation project at City Hall.

Decades ago, two buildings – one from 1968 and one from the mid-1970s – were joined to form Salinas City Hall. Now, the property is getting renovated, with construction set to begin as early as Aug. 15. “The building hasn’t had any renovation in many decades,” Assistant City Manager Jim Pia notes.

The original price tag was $646,271 for emergency roof repair and to prevent further damage. “With the extensive winter rain this season, the urgency to get the roof repaired has turned into a significant emergency,” according to a staff report on the project. The repair also includes safety and heating upgrades, as well as updates to ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Upon inspection, FC & Sons Roofing, a roofing contractor from Bell Gardens, found asbestos below the roof deck and suggested its removal as a first step, bringing the total budget to over $1 million.

The work is expected to take several months, and the main City Hall entrance on Lincoln Avenue will remain closed. City staff will continue to provide services, and the public can access the building from Church Street. (The main entrance has already been closed for a couple of weeks to accommodate moving furniture and equipment.)

On July 13, the Salinas Traffic and Transportation Commission approved street parking time limits of two hours on West Gabilan Street between Lincoln Avenue and Church Street, since they expect an influx of vehicles at the temporary entrance. City Council will consider the two-hour parking restriction on Aug. 8.

The old police station next door is not part of this project. SPD still uses its old headquarters for training.