College Park City Hall
| College Park City Hall | |
|---|---|
 | |
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| General information | |
| Location | 7401 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, Maryland |
| Coordinates | 38°58′51″N 76°56′14″W / 38.98083°N 76.93722°W |
| Completed | Dec 2021 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Design Collective |
| Awards and prizes | Government/Public Building MidAtlantic best projects |
College Park City Hall is the official seat of government of the City of College Park, Maryland. The City Hall houses the offices of the Mayor and those of the City Council of College Park as well as various city departments, agencies and boards/commissions.
The current building, the second city hall since the city's incorporation in 1945, was completed in 2021 and played a key role in the revitalization of College Park's downtown. The premises combine municipal services, University of Maryland offices, retail space and a large public plaza.
History
[edit]By the end of the 20th century, College Park residents and city officials started discussing the need to replace the old city hall. The old building, inaugurated in 1959, could not meet the increased demand for city services as College Park developed, leading to hallways and corridors being used as office and storage space and city departments being spread across several different buildings.[1]
In 2014 the city selected the existing site as the location to build the replacement building. Two additional properties on the same block were acquired[2] and the land was pooled with lots owned by the University of Maryland[3] to redevelop the whole block.
The project broke ground in February 2020 and was completed in December 2021.[4] It was recognized with the MidAtlantic Best Projects award of merit for a government/public building[5] and an Honorable Mention by the AIA Baltimore Design Awards.[6]
Facilities
[edit]The building is four stories tall and it initially dedicates 33,000 square feet for the city government offices, council chambers, an atrium and community meeting space, 45,000 square feet for the University of Maryland offices, and 7,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.[7] The council chambers have a nine-foot seal that is visible from outside the building and can be lit up.[8]
The building is organized around a large landscaped public plaza that provides seating and tables for retail customers and the general public. This plaza holds music performances, markets, and city events throughout the year[9][10] that have contributed towards the revitalization of College Park's downtown.[5]
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College Park City Hall ribbon cutting in December 2021 -
Friday Night Life! 2023 during a musical performance -
City hall plaza facing Baltimore Avenue -
City hall plaza with tree lights at the College Park Winter Wonderland 2023 -
Grinch at the College Park Winter Wonderland 2023
References
[edit]
- ^ "City Hall Project | City of College Park, Maryland". www.collegeparkmd.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
- ^ Arcieri, Katie (2019-01-24). "College Park, UMd. partnering on new City Hall, university offices". The Business Journals. Archived from the original on 2023-12-23.
- ^ "College Park looks to rebuild City Hall, develop surrounding block of Route 1". The Diamondback. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ "City of College Park, University of Maryland Dedicate New City Hall". Maryland Today. 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ a b "Award of Merit Government/Public Building: College Park City Hall". Engineering News-Record. 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ Haslam, Maggie (2022-10-24). "Maryland Takes Top Honors at 2022 AIA Baltimore Design Awards". School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ Farrell, Liam (2020-02-17). "A New Symbol of College Park Partnerships". Maryland Today. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ "DAVIS X The City of College Park X University of Maryland | DAVIS Construction". Davis Construction. 2021-09-14. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
- ^ "College Park City Council discusses options for Knox Road pedestrian plaza". The Diamondback. 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Barnes, Sophia; McFly, Tommy (2023-11-30). "Holiday Boat Parade, markets and more things to do around DC the first weekend of December". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
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