Lakewood City Council Approves $4M for City Hall Renovation

Council also considers purchasing former school board building for expanded administrative functions

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Lakewood City Council voted to allocate $4 million for the design and renovation of City Hall to facilitate expansion of the police station, including a new women's locker room. Council also discussed the potential purchase and adaptive reuse of the former Lakewood City Schools Board of Education building to accommodate administrative functions, while transforming City Hall into a justice center with expanded police and courts.

Why it matters

The proposed City Hall renovation and potential relocation of administrative functions aims to address congestion and space challenges experienced by various city departments and functions currently housed in the aging City Hall building.

The details

Under consideration was the plan desired by the administration to purchase the former Lakewood City Schools Board of Education building for $1.5 million and use it to house a large part of the city's administrative functions, while transforming the current City Hall into a justice center with expanded police and courts. However, some council members expressed that they wanted the administration to more fully consider other options as well.

  • The City Council meeting where the $4 million allocation was approved took place on March 2, 2026.
  • In 2024, PMC and Weber Murphy Fox Architects presented three renovation options for City Hall ranging from $21 million to $32 million.

The players

Sarah Kepple

Lakewood City Council President.

Meghan George

Lakewood Mayor.

Lakewood City Council

The governing body of Lakewood, Ohio that voted to allocate $4 million for the City Hall renovation.

PMC and Weber Murphy Fox Architects

The architectural firms that presented renovation options for Lakewood City Hall in 2024.

Lakewood City Schools Board of Education

The former owner of the 1470 Warren Road building that the city is considering purchasing for administrative functions.

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What they’re saying

“Council voted to allocate $4 million to allow for the design and renovation at City Hall to facilitate expansion of the police station to include the women's locker room.”

— Sarah Kepple, Lakewood City Council President (cleveland.com)

“I'm looking forward to continued dialogue. It's another step in a positive direction to figure out the space challenges at City Hall.”

— Meghan George, Lakewood Mayor (cleveland.com)

What’s next

The Lakewood City Council will need to vote on a purchase agreement for the former Lakewood City Schools Board of Education building at a future meeting if the administration decides to move forward with that option.

The takeaway

Lakewood is taking steps to address the space and congestion issues at its aging City Hall building, with options including renovating the current facility or relocating some administrative functions to a former school board building. The city is weighing multiple options to find the best solution for its municipal needs.