Gahanna is getting ready to cram much of its civic life into a single address this spring, as the city finishes a $59 million renovation that will put City Hall, a new police headquarters and an expanded senior center under one roof. Officials say construction has been underway for roughly two years and is now in the home stretch. A formal ribbon-cutting is set for April 25, 2026, with departments expected to transition into the new campus in the weeks that follow. City leaders are planning a phased move that staff say should wrap up by the end of April.
What the new civic center will include
According to the City of Gahanna, the renovated complex at 825 Tech Center Drive will bring together the Gahanna Division of Police, a larger Senior Center and core City Hall operations. The project will overhaul roughly 100,000 square feet and add more than 30,000 square feet of new construction.
The city’s newsletter notes that the Senior Center is getting about 116% more programmable space, along with a new demonstration kitchen, a larger art room and a flexible multipurpose room for community classes and events. City communications say crews are finishing interior systems work, including radio infrastructure and other technology installations, as the move window approaches.
Ribbon cutting, cost and move window
As reported by WBNS, the city has locked in April 25, 2026, for the ribbon-cutting and is pegging the project’s price tag at about $59 million. City operations staff told the station they are aiming to have departments up and running in the new building within roughly 60 to 75 days, depending on remaining finishes, inspections and system testing.
How the project reached this point
According to the city’s Legistar record, council signed off on acquiring the Tech Center Drive property in September 2022, setting the stage for a renovation-and-expansion plan at 825 Tech Center Drive. The file shows construction beginning in May 2024 and tracks subsequent ordinances tied to furniture purchases and other final outfitting, signaling that the work has shifted into its last buy-and-install phase.
Moving logistics and public access
Officials told WBNS that physically relocating departments should take about four weeks, with the city hoping to have the bulk of the move finished by the end of April. The station reported that police move-in will require clearing roughly 90% to 100% of construction workers from the building while sensitive equipment and security systems are installed, a condition that helps dictate the final sequence for bringing public-safety operations online.
What residents should expect
City staff say they will share moving updates, program schedules and any temporary service changes on the city’s project page, in Council briefings and through streamed Committee of the Whole meetings on the City’s YouTube channel. Officials say the consolidated campus is intended to centralize services, free up space at the current City Hall and give seniors significantly more room for classes, meals and community gatherings, turning the new civic center into a one-stop hub for city business and community life.
