Essex officials and residents marked the reopening of 2 Lincoln Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating the building’s renovation and its new role as Essex City Hall.

The restoration preserved historic exterior brick and exposed two interior brick walls while upgrading the building for modern use, city leaders said. The project included a formal entryway, an elevator serving all three floors, a new sprinkler line and improvements to the HVAC system intended to make the building fully accessible and more energy efficient.

“This is a short, short history of Lincoln Hall,” said Jerry Fox of the Essex Community Historical Society during remarks that traced the building’s use from an early tavern and hotel to public functions. “Now we have a new renovation, and we have an Essex City Hall,” he added.

Amber Tebow, city council president, said the council set a goal in July 2022, when the village became a city, to return 2 Lincoln to “the hub of community activity.” She thanked staff, contractors and community partners for their roles in completing the project.

A city staff member who spoke at the ceremony described the building’s structural surprises encountered during renovation, noting that original walls varied in brick thickness and that some chimneys had to be removed as work progressed. Officials said two interior walls were left exposed so visitors can see the original masonry from the first to second floor.

Project managers and construction partners were named repeatedly during remarks: the city credited a design team led by Scott and Partners and construction led by Bread Loaf, supported by consultants and subconsultants including DuBois & King, Jeff Kirschner (site and water design), Brown Electric, Safety Systems of Vermont, Vermont Construction Company and others who worked on cabinetry, flooring, glazing, site work, sprinkler systems and masonry.

Organizers said the renovation focused on function and accessibility so the building can serve the municipal staff and the public into the long term. Residents were invited to tours of the renovated space after the ceremony.

No formal votes or policy actions were taken at the event; the ceremony consisted of speeches, acknowledgements and guided tours.