The city of Newberry celebrated the opening of its new city hall on Monday, with around 150 citizens, current and former officials, first responders and project members gathered in front of the stone facade for a ribbon-cutting. 

Built from the ground up, the $8.9 million, 12,000-square-foot space is located at 25420 W Newberry Rd., next to the city’s municipal building. 

The new city hall has been open since employees moved in before Thanksgiving. Attendees of Monday’s ribbon-cutting toured the downstairs rooms where employees shared various features and upgrades, such as automatic microphones for livestreaming in the commission chambers. 

The event finished in time for the City Commission to hold its first regular meeting of the new year and first in the new city hall just a few hours later. 

“This is really just a building to serve our community,” said Newberry Mayor Tim Marden. “If we are not able to serve our community, we are not able to lead our community. This is a symbol incorporating our past to serve our future. Newberry is great because of the community inside and outside this building.” 

Multiple years of planning the city hall preceded its 15 months of building by Scorpio Construction crews. 

Half of the construction expenses are covered by impact fees and infrastructure tax, so that existing residents split the cost with new residents, driving the need for a bigger building. 

“Newberry is always growing, and this facility represents more than a building,” said Erik Anderson, Scorpio’s vice president for project development, at the ribbon cutting. “It’s a commitment to excellence and care for our community.” 

Marden said even though the city will likely outgrow the city hall again in a few years, expansion is factored into the new space as common areas are equipped with flexible workstations. 

A drive-thru also allows citizens to pay bills without parking, and an alleyway between the old and new city halls will have speakers and removable bollards for community events where food trucks and vendors can set up. 

The former municipal building will house offices for the Alachua County Property Appraiser and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. 

Although the original ribbon-cutting was planned for November, various finishing touches, like making sure the chamber’s new technology worked, pushed back the date. 

Marden said officially cutting the ribbon and finally seeing it operate in full swing is like putting a bow on top. 

“May we look back at this day as an opportunity to see where we have been and reflect on where we are going together as one community,” he said.