Greeneville, Tenn. – 09/03/2025 – The Town of Greeneville City Council has shown a commitment to restoring the exterior of Greeneville’s Town Hall. The building was completed in 1967 when James “Jimmy” Hardin was mayor. Architects Honeycutt & Boyd designed it in a neoclassical style, borrowing elements from Greece and Rome.
Last year, the state of disrepair of the cupola on top of the building was a major concern. A bid from J. Ross Painting for $59,890 was approved by city council in July 2024. Restoration to the clocks by The Verdin Company came in at a cost of $4,800. The work was completed by January 2025. With a beautifully restored cupola and working clocks, attention next became focused on the portico, columns, and windows.
Though a request for proposals was posted in January, there were no bids submitted. In early March, the request was extended again. With three companies submitting, a bid for $95,960 from Skyline Restoration & Maintenance, LLC was accepted by city council on March 18, 2025. Skyline presented the lowest bid, but due to many client obligations, work could not begin until early August.
For a month, two to four craftspeople per weekday have been restoring the wood materials on the building. The work consists of repair and repainting four full columns, two partial columns on the front wall, the portico and its ceiling, the front door and frame, attic vents, and over 50 windows.
A change order was submitted by Skyline to add the side gables, rear cornice, and eight downspouts to the project. While these items are not in disrepair, cleaning and painting them to match the newly completed work will extend the life of these materials. It will also provide a cohesive and clean look for the restoration project. The city council approved the amount of $28,700 for the additional work on September 2, 2025.
Steve Cheney, Skyline project manager, presented the change order, explaining that doing all the work at one time would give the best result and would mean less disruption to Town Hall visitors and employees. Additionally, he mentioned that the large lift brought in to reach the highest areas of work has caused some tracks in the lawn and damage to some of the grass. They will repair and re-seed these areas at the end of the project. It would be more efficient to do this only once. Cheney said that the work is expected to be complete within 4 to 5 weeks with weather permitting.
Christina Potts, media/marketing specialist with the Town stated that “Town Hall is an icon for our government in Greeneville. We want it to show the pride we have in Greeneville and Greene County, while complementing the natural beauty we have here. With this facility being close to 60 years old, we must keep a close eye on its maintenance to preserve it for many more decades.”
Interim City Manager Cathy Osborne stated, “Town Hall is more than just a building—it’s a symbol of stability and continuity for our community. Maintaining it reflects our deep commitment to serving Greeneville’s residents and visitors with pride and responsibility. We are dedicated to being careful stewards of taxpayer dollars while preserving the places that matter most to our town.”
Weather permitting, the full restoration is expected to be completed by the end of October.