Gainesville Civic Center upgrades tech, aesthetic

The Gainesville Civic Center looks the same on the outside, but the inside has gone through a complete transformation.

The three story building has fresh paint, new carpet, and updated art, but officials also added three new break out rooms and a fully upgraded audio/visual set up.

Gainesville Parks and Recreation Director Kate Mattison said they knew their A/V components needed work.

"If we're being totally honest, we have lost rentals over the years because we hadn't upgraded," said Mattison. "It was really important to us, and we're hoping to welcome back people who may have said, 'Hey, I don't want to see a mobile cart come out with projector on it and a pop up screen.'"

Mattison said they now have two 120 inch screens in their grand ballroom, complete with an updated sound system. Other rental rooms, including board rooms and the new break out rooms, are also equipped with the new technology.

The offices on the first floor were moved to the third floor, and in their places are the three new break out rooms. "Not everybody needs a space the size of the ballroom," Mattison said.

The break out rooms are on the first floor, and a brand new reception area greets anyone entering for any of the rental spaces. The offices that were originally on the first floor are now on the third floor, which had been used as storage and previous offices.

While the look of the civic center has been upgraded, Mattison said they felt it was important to keep the already established identity of the building.

"We haven't had a huge makeover like this - painting, flooring, window treatments, things like that - since the early 1990s," said Mattison.

Mattison said they chose neutral tones to compliment some of the historic photographs they selected as art for the walls. Most of the photos came from the Hall County Library System, and were printed on stretched canvas.

Favorite longtime elements, like the rock wall and the ballroom, kept their charm.

"Those are original hardwood floors, so we didn't want to do anything to disrupt those," she said. "What we ended up doing was just sanding them and staining them a slightly darker color."

The civic center renovations began in January and the building was closed for renovations until March. The space is now open and taking rentals.

The ballroom keeps its original hardwood floors and decadent views, but has been upgraded with new audio and visual components

New 120" screens for the Gainesville Civic Center ballroom

New screen and sound for one of the rental rooms near the ballroom.

There's even art in the elevator

With our studios just down the road on Thompson Bridge, it's fitting WDUN has spent plenty of time at the civic center.

Kate Mattison at her desk in her new office on the third floor

New signage features a wave and a peek, much like the waters of the lake and the mountains.

One of the new breakout rooms

On the first floor, new break out rooms were built in place of offices.

Many of the photos, including this one of the Fair Street School band, are courtesy of the Hall County Public Library

One of Mattison's favorite pieces - the Gainesville Square (when it was a circle) at night

The new reception desk is in between both back entrances and features signage and a digital message board

The board room is already getting some use

There are also new directional signs, and the new styles match some of the pre-existing signs

Don't worry - the outside of the iconic civic center stays the same!

http://accesswdun.com/article/2021/4/998723/gainesville-civic-center-upgrades-tech-aesthetic