HASTINGS, Neb. – The Hastings City Hall building has now been undergoing renovations for an entire year, which are now expected to continue into the spring of 2026. 

Fences have surrounded the building in downtown Hastings since September of 2024, during a multi-million dollar renovation project.

The building has been vacant since April of 2023 after mold and asbestos were detected, forcing the relocation of city staff.

Toxic materials were removed before the renovations started, and workers are now working on completing the exterior and interior of the building.

However, originally scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31, 2025, city officials say the expected completion date is now pushed back to March of 2026.

"As anyone who has renovated an older building, you always find a few things that aren't quite as you planned," said Hastings Director of Engineering Lee Vrooman. "Currently, they're working on a lot of stuff inside, the framing, starting drywall. If you've driven by you've seen they've got the windows mainly completed."

Vrooman says some extra costs have been incurred with the extra renovations popping up, but that won't cost the city over the initial $7,092,000 bid from Genesis Contracting Group.

The next steps for construction crews will be to put up metal wall panels on the outside of the building, pave the area around the building with new concrete, and finish interior renovations.

When complete, the new city hall will feature now city council chambers for meetings, and almost everything inside will be brand new.

It's still unclear on when city staff will be able to move back in once the renovations are complete in the upcoming spring.