CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Reports of structural stresses at Coral Gables City Hall led to a commission meeting moving to a different location while repairs were underway.
City leaders were abruptly forced to hold Tuesday’s commission meeting offsite, away from City Hall.
The nearly 100-year-old building has been deemed a nationally-designated historic site.
Recently, the structure had been undergoing some renovations when engineers found problems in at least four areas of the building, including a lack of reinforcements in stone columns.
The city manager highlighted his own photos from the work area, saying he believes politics is driving an overreaction.
“Once those areas are shored up, there’s no need to vacate City Hall,” said Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago. “We could have it open for the community. Especially in an election year and our centennial, we want to make sure that we have City Hall open for the community. That’s what they deserve. It’s safe, it’s operational and it’s something that I look forward to over the next four years that we’re able to renovate that historic gem.”