City Chambers Getting New Paint, Artwork Being Removed

When the City Council adjourns Thursday, it will be the last time they do so in the old chambers. A renovation is slated to reshape the room they've held their meetings for decades.

As part of an overall renovation at City Hall that started in 2011, the chambers are being updated with new technology, a new coat of paint, and streamlined visuals.

The lively, colorful artwork depicting Annapolis in colonial times will be removed from the chambers and stored in Maryland Hall, according to Public Works Director David Jarrell.

The frames that line the paintings will be painted bronze, and the bright blue paint in the chambers will be replaced with a neutral, yellowish tan color of paint, Jarrell said.

"This gets the chambers back to where they were about 30 or 40 years ago," Jarrrell said.

Two large, flat-screen televisions will also be installed along the walls of the chambers—one angled toward the council, and one angled toward the audience.

Aspects of the renovation are being done to bring the chambers back to the era of Mayor John Chambers, the city's first African-American mayor. A display case will be installed in the back honoring his career, Jarrell said.

The City's last council meeting will be 7 p.m. Thursday at City Hall. Following that meeting, the council will be in recess until their next meeting scheduled for Sept. 9. By then, the renovations are slated for completion, and the council should be convening in their new chambers, Jarrell said.

The chamber renovation is just a small part of the second phase of renovations taking place at City Hall that began in 2011. The main focus of the second phase was to make structural and architectural improvements throughout the historic building.

"It's giving the building an overall face lift, and repairing some of the broken bones," Jarrell said.

Phase 1, which involved relocating department offices and the law office and mayor's office, was completed recently. Phase 2, the improvements, began soon afterward. Phase 3, a replacement of the city's HVAC system, is slated to begin in 2014, Jarrell said.

The cost of the renovations are broken down as follows, according to Jarrell:

• Phase 1: $984,000
• Phase 2: $40,000
• Phase 3: $1.1 million