It has been 24 years since any work has been done on the building that houses Seymour City Hall, and most of the heating and cooling equipment is pre-1980s.

In 2017, the city plans to spend just more than $1 million to replace the HVAC system.

The project will result in new lighting, insulation, ceiling tiles and carpet throughout the building at 301-309 N. Chestnut St., said city engineer Nathan Frey.

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“The main reason for the renovation is the HVAC system is about 10 years past its useful life cycle,” Frey said.

DLZ Engineering in Indianapolis is designing the project, which is expected to go out for construction bids in April.

The existing system is made up of three separate units, including two boilers that work together to heat and cool the complex.

“One boiler has been out of commission for a couple of years now,” Frey said. “If the second one goes down, city hall will need to be shut down until it is repaired.”

By removing all three units and replacing them with one, it will be more efficient to heat and cool the building, resulting in significant utilities savings, Frey said.

The upfront cost of the work will be paid for through a bond issue.

But with a total monthly utility savings estimated at $4,000, Frey said the savings will help offset the future bond payments.

Since most of the work has to be done in the ceiling, new lighting, insulation and ceiling tiles will be installed, Frey said. The new lighting and insulation also will be more energy efficient.

“The carpet will take a beating through this process, so it will be replaced, as well,” he said. “Most of the project is functional with a touch of cosmetic work in the mix.”

The last time any physical improvements were made to the building was 1992, he said.

Frey said the current plan is to keep city hall open during construction, which is expected to take six months.

“We are looking at options to either phase the work so that only parts of the building are inaccessible at any given time,” he said.

Temporary work trailers may be brought in to allow certain offices to remain open, including the clerk-treasurer’s office, planning and zoning department and transit department.

“We will know more in a couple of months once DLZ has part of their design completed,” Frey said.