Former bank building will get another look as a potential new Watertown City Hall (Audio)

February 20, 2024
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–The Watertown City Council has agreed to take another run at seeing if a former downtown bank building can be renovated into a new City Hall without breaking the bank financially.

On Tuesday night, the city council agreed to a nearly $90,000 contract with TSP Architects for redesign, bidding and construction services.

The bank building has sat vacant for several years after the city bought it for $1.3 million.

An earlier bid to renovate it came in much too high and was rejected. Then a plan to sell the building to a private developer failed when the only bid came it at less than half the appraised value.

Mayor Ried Holien has never been in favor of moving City Hall into what used to be a bank, and he reiterated those sentiments prior to Tuesday night’s vote….

If an acceptable bid is awarded to a contractor to renovate the building into a new City Hall, work could get started in the spring.