PORTSMOUTH, Va. — For the second time this month, the city of Portsmouth is being forced to close their City Hall building because of problems with the air conditioning system.
A spokesperson announced Friday that Portsmouth City Hall will be closed Monday, July 18th through Wednesday, July 20th. The building is scheduled to reopen on Thursday, July 21st, at 8 a.m.
The needed repairs were described as "extensive." The spokesperson said: "Based on the city contractor’s estimates in addition to the loss of air conditioning during the repair process, the building will need to be closed during the work."
This comes as the region is forecast to experience some of the hottest temperatures so far this year.
The building was completed in 1979, and in 2019, there was a proposal from a developer to build a new city hall building, as well as a new city jail, two blocks from the existing location, after which the developer would build apartments on the valuable waterfront property on which the city hall and jail buildings currently sit.
The plan was nixed after substantial public opposition to the proposed deal.
Employees at Portsmouth City Hall will work remotely and all offices in the building will be closed. The spokesperson said that anyone within the city that needs to reach someone normally working in City Hall can dial 311.
All other city facilities outside of Portsmouth City Hall will be fully operational and open on their normal schedule, including the Churchland Branch of the Treasurer’s Office.