Aging Canopy at City Hall Discussed

The La Grange City Council met Monday night, Feb. 12, and heard a presentation from Cutright and Prihoda Architects about the aging canopy that covers the plaza at City Hall.

The canopy roof has been leaking for many years, causing wood to rot in the ceiling. City Hall was built in 1965. Local architect Edward Mattingly designed the structure and its plaza. Joanna Prihoda of Cutright and Prihoda Architects said the flat roof over the plaza collects rain water in several places, which then seeps through “Especially with the heavy rains we have been having, its going to continue being an issue,” Prihoda said.

Prihoda recommended demolishing most of the roof and the columns that support it.

“Is it worth the cost to have the plaza covered, and is it used enough to warrant that?” Prihoda asked.

A section of roof next to the City Council Chamber would be repaired, which would provide a covering for the walkway to City Hall.

“We think it’s the most economical solution,” Prihoda said.

She said the plan would fit with the character of the building. Councilman Ken Taylor advocated for preserving the covered plaza.

“Why not remove the damaged roof material and leave the columns and cross members?” Taylor asked. “They’re probably in fair shape. We could save a lot of money.”

“Absolutely, we could,” Prihoda said. “That’s one of the options. We could re-roof it, and then it would go to maintenance down the road.”

Prihoda invited the Councilmembers to step outside and look at the canopy. Council reviewed the damaged spots with Prihoda and then went back inside. They discussed several options, including the plan that Prihoda initial proposed, a proposal to replace the roof with a pergola, and a restoration project to replace the roof as originally designed. Prihoda said she will present cost estimates for the various options at a future meeting.