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Work to begin on city hall face-lift Medford City Hall with be a brighter, friendlier place once a multimillion dollar renovation is complete, city officials say. Work crews are preparing the 34-year-old building for its first major overhaul, excluding the City Council chambers, set to begin in late November or early December. "It�s a big job," said Cathie Davis, deputy city manager. "We�re in need of it. It�s time." This week, temporary structures went up in the parking lot behind City Hall. By early October, 23 employees from the engineering department will take up residence in the two gray buildings for the duration of the City Hall remodel. In the meantime, the city will outfit the portable structures with electricity and communications capabilities. The move frees up space on the second floor of City Hall, which now houses engineering and the municipal court. The court will move temporarily to the engineering department, giving crews room to work. The human resources department and office of the city recorder will eventually move to the Lausmann Annex to accommodate changes on the third floor. The city has set aside about $3.8 million for the remodel, but officials said it�s unclear how much the work will cost. The city has yet to request bids from contractors. Renovations to the council chambers will be done separately from the offices. Davis said the project will bring more light into City Hall and make the building more visitor-friendly. Along with new flooring and other cosmetic upgrades, plans include directing light from offices to the now-drab hallways and installing signs to help guide visitors to their destination. "It�s very confusing right now," Davis said of the building�s layout. "You go around in a circle and don�t know which door to go in," Davis said. The buildings electrical, heating and air conditioning systems also will be overhauled. The work is expected to wrap up by late 2001. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA