WATERVILLE — Historic City Hall is about to get an $85,000 facelift.

The City Council on Tuesday voted 7-0 to award a contract to Clean Cut Painting Co. of Bethel to paint the exterior of the 122-year-old building at 1 Common St., located next to Castonguay Square.

The work will include preparing and painting all the wood molding and trim, including the decorative cornice molding along the roof line and the horizontal ledger molding below the cornice molding, according to the contract.

Also, the decorative wood columns on the south side of the mostly brick building will be prepped and painted, as will the wooden railings on the west side, all the wood trim around the doors and windows and any miscellaneous exterior wood blocking and plywood.

Flowers brigthen the main entrance to Waterville City Hall on Wednesday June 19. Painting of exterior trim and railings are being planned for the building. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

The black, metal hand and porch railings around City Hall and the black metal light fixtures above the west side entrance will be prepped and painted as well.

Two bids were received for the project and Clean Painting was the low bidder, according to City Manager Bryan Kaenrath. Clarke Painting of Westbrook submitted a bid for $128,800, Kaenrath said Thursday. Money for the work will come from the city’s capital reserve account.

Kaenrath said at Tuesday’s meeting that officials are thrilled the historic building will be painted this year.

“It’s long overdue,” he said.

On Thursday, Kaenrath said the work is expected to start in July and will take about eight weeks to complete. City officials have been talking about maintaining city infrastructure, and the painting project is an initiative to take care of the building, he said. It is in desperate need of painting and it is important to keep the historic building to high standards, he said.

“I’m excited we’re getting this done,” Kaenrath said. “It needs to be done.”

The painting and preserving of railings and trim at Waterville City Hall are being planned. Iron rails near the buildings entry are shown on Wednesday June 19. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

City Hall was built between 1898 and 1902 and was designed by architect George G. Adams, of Lawrence, Massachusetts. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Jeff Skillin of Clean Cut Painting represented the company at the council meeting Tuesday.

“We’re definitely looking forward to the opportunity to work with the city of Waterville and we’ll do a great job for you guys,” he said.

“Nice, excellent,” Mayor Mike Morris said. “Looking forward to seeing that.”

Contacted Wednesday, Council Chairwoman Rebecca Green, D-Ward 4, said the capital reserve fund, from which money will be taken to do the work, was created recently with interest revenue to address capital projects without impacting the city budget. The fund was created so the city can stay on top of maintenance efforts and long term planning.

“I can’t wait to see this iconic building rejuvenated by this project,” Green said in an email. “In addition to preserving an important city asset, this refresh will symbolize Waterville’s commitment to continued progress rooted in our historic past.”

Located between Front and Main streets downtown and connected on the west side to the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, City Hall includes the Waterville Opera House on its top floor and city offices on the first floor and basement levels.

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