CITY HALL/1910 OLD POST OFFICE

206 East Third Street 10,445 Square Feet

Description:

This building has become the hub for the City of Moscow’s business offices. The building is home to the City of Moscow’s Finance Department, the Arts Department, City Council Chambers, the Mayor’s Office, the City Supervisor’s Office, the City Attorney’s Office, the City’s Human Resources Office, the City Clerk’s Office, and the City’s Information Technology Department.

History:

1873: • In 1873, the first Moscow Post Office was built. The post office was originally downtown, and it moved further and further south every year until 1908, when planning began for a permanent location.

1910:

• Construction started on the Old Post Office and Federal Building.

1911:

• In July, the building was finished at a cost of $87,301.

133 1967: • The City of Moscow started discussing the need for a new City Hall. Later that year, the City allotted funds in the 1968 budget for either renovating the old City Hall or purchasing a new one.

1968:

• The city found five possible properties to purchase for the new City Hall renovation. These properties were the present post office, the Church of the Nazarene (3rd and Almon), the Helbling Brothers Store (Jackson and A St), the Delta Ford Garage, and the Korter building (Present Police Station). • May - The City of Moscow decided to purchase the Korter building and set $50,000 aside for the new City Hall renovations.

1969:

• The City of Moscow finished renovation of the new City Hall. 1973:

• July 3 - The 1910 Old Post Office building was placed on the National Register for Historic Places.

1976:

• The City of Moscow decided to buy the City Hall building with the help of $100,000 available for National Register Structures. The building remained unoccupied and unused for several years. 1981:

• The local community raised funds to renovate the main floor of the City Hall building. The Senior Citizens club undertook the project to construct and equip the kitchen. An Idaho Community Development Block Grant provided funds and incentive to also undertake the renovation of the second floor and add an elevator.

1991:

• The second floor of City Hall was remodeled, and the Council Chambers were opened.

134 1992:

• December 7 - The second floor restoration of City Hall was finished and celebrated with a grand reopening.

1994:

• The third floor of City Hall was opened. 2002:

• November - With the movement of the Moscow Community Center from City Hall to the 1912 Center, the Arts and Finance Department moved from the top floor of City Hall to the bottom floor, the remodeling of City Hall began.

2003:

• Remodeling of the third floor of the City Hall building was completed.

2015 • Another remodel of third floor of City Hall took place adding 2 walls that created 4 private office spaces – remodel cost approx. $60,000

135 2016: • April- The groundbreaking ceremony took place for the eventual and highly visible example of Wisescaping, which is landscaping that requires minimal watering. During the first two seasons with the Wisescape installed, 10,638 gallons of water was used. If the lawn was still there and it was efficiently irrigated, it would have used 41,538 gallons of water.

2018 • A new covered bike shelter was installed on 3rd Street adjacent to City Hall.

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