Momentum in Mishawaka: All-new City Hall unveiled Thursday

 

MISHAWAKA, Ind.-- The City of Mishawaka unveiled its $20 million investment into an all-new city hall. Thursday, the public was invited to an open house to view the new amenities.

"It's that hometown touch," said Dave Wood, mayor of Mishawaka, "and we try to provide that."

The new city hall building, located at 100 Lincolnway West in downtown Mishawaka, is designed to be a one-stop-shop for local government.

"We have all kinds of momentum going on downtown," Wood continued. "There are new developments happening really all around us. And so, we wanted to be a part of that. We wanted to be a part of not only the momentum, but we wanted to be right on the main intersection of downtown so that we can better serve our citizens in a more convenient location than we ever had."

The government building will be home to not only the mayor's office but the police department and so much more, including all-new common council chambers.

"We're very pleased with the new chambers, not only for ourselves but for the opportunity it provides to the community to more fully participate in council meetings," said Common Council President Gregg Hixenbaugh.

The old city hall building on E. Third Street will become the home of a new neighborhood center owned by the boys and girls club of St. Joseph County and United Way.

"Our hope is that we'll be able to have the next use of that building be an educational use, have it be a nonprofit use, have it be the type of use that would be consistent with the educational and governmental use that has taken place in that building since I was a small child," Hixenbaugh said.

Up next for Mishawaka is all-new street scaping, which will hopefully be done by Thanksgiving, according to Mayor Wood.

Then in early December, the new Ironworks Building, which will house an event center, skating facility, and restaurant in Beutter Park, is set to be complete.