Across the street from the Anchor Bank in Farmington, the old city hall building sat vacant one Thursday morning, a sprinkling of rain running down its weathered bricks.
City employees had long since moved into a new building down the block, leaving the 40-year-old structure locked, dark and unused for almost three months. But after years housing the City Council and staff, the building is on its way to serving a new crowd: the city's "55-and-better" population.
Council members on Nov. 3 approved a proposal to move the city's senior center, the Rambling River Center, from downtown Farmington up the block to the old city hall. The move would double the center's space, allowing the city to expand its programming and better serve the center's 520 members, city employees said.
Renovations to the old city hall could cost $500,000, and the city hasn't yet identified a funding source.
Missie Kohlbeck, senior center coordinator for Rambling River, said members are excited about moving into a new building. The current building, on 3rd Street across from the new city hall, was built in 1923.
"We have loved this space," she said. "It has served us very well, but the opportunity to grow is there with the old city hall."
The center's current 6,000-square-foot building is long and narrow, with rooms separated by thin partitions. It's easy to hear what's going on in other rooms, Kohlbeck said, which has been a concern for members when programming overlaps. Not having enough room for classes has also been difficult.
"I don't think we're serving [members] to the best of our abilities if they leave because it's too crowded. It's important for them to network socially and do something physically just to stay healthy," she said. "It's much healthier to be here with a bunch of people moving than to be isolated at home."
