02 Establishing The Vision Franklin City Hall Master Plan The existing City Hall is an anomaly in the rich, historic downtown fabric. The existing City Hall facility is a re-purposedmall building built in 1974. Lasting only a few years, the mall did not prove to be successful. In 1981, the building was re-purposed to house City Hall. The existing one-story structure covers the entire city block from Public Square to Church Street along 3rd Avenue South. The existing building has very few exterior windows and is lacking in architectural character inherent in the surrounding historic structures, making City Hall appear very unwelcoming from the exterior. Being a mall building, the structure is not well suited for City Hall functions. The City leadership and staff have made this building work for over four decades, but now the building has outlived its lifespan and is in a state of disrepair, requiring costly continual maintenance. The design of the newCity Hall building in this prominent location is an opportunity to contextually repair this quadrant of the Square and continue the vibrancy of downtown along 3rd Avenue South. Prior to the Mall building, this quadrant of the Square was the center of downtown activity throughout the early history of the City, housing mule barns and a general store, making this quadrant a destination for the citizens and a gathering place for the community. The design of the new City Hall should serve as a gateway to the City with a welcoming, inviting presence, promoting a sense of community for the citizens of Franklin. Downtown Franklin is well known for its annual festivals and parades including: Pumpkin Fest in October; the Veterans Day Parade in November; and Dickens of a Christmas in December. Thousands of tourists visit Franklin each year to enjoy the festivals and explore the elegant shops, restaurants, and galleries located in the historic downtown core. The design of the new City Hall should provide a destination for the visitors to learn about the unique history of Franklin, and gather information about the many things to do and sites to see on their visit. The new City Hall building will serve as a hub for the community providing many opportunities for citizens to become more connected to their community, to their elected officials, to the City staff while conducting business, and to the history and story of Franklin. The new City Hall should provide a secure building for the staff to work, while providing a welcoming, accessible destination for the community, combined with potential supporting uses on 3rd Avenue and Church Street. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION
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