St. George • After more than two years of construction and $51.5 million in public money, city officials are celebrating the formal debut of St. George’s new City Hall, which they say will serve a growing population for decades to come.
At 74,000 square feet, the new three-story building at 61 S. Main St. in downtown St. George more than doubles the size of old City Hall at 170 E. 200 North. The new council chambers can seat 350 people, compared to 150 in the one it is replacing.
That quest for more space was a major driver in the longstanding push to build the new facility, which has been under construction since September 2023. For Council member Michelle Tanner, the new digs are long overdue.
“The last city hall was completed nearly a decade before I was born,” she said. “It served the city well for decades, however in recent years we’ve had employees with offices in closets and inadequate space to accommodate our growing population. It has been exciting to watch this community building come to fruition and will serve our future generations to come.”
Roughly $10 million from a sales tax bond, $10 million from a low-interest state loan and the remainder from capital project fund savings have been tapped to pay for the building’s construction, according to St. George Operations Director Marc Mortensen.
The taxpayer-funded building features a glass-and-sandstone design and a 55-foot atrium that overlooks Town Square and the St. George Tabernacle, elements city officials say reflect its role as a community gathering place and symbolize openness and transparency in government.
“We tried to create an environment that we could be proud of without breaking the bank,” Mortensen said. “We want people to spend time here. This is their building, and it has been built to be inviting to people and as a place to hold large community events.”
As easy as the facility is on the eye, Mortensen added, it is equally convenient, with the council chambers, utility payments and other spaces the public is apt to use the most located on the first floor.
The chambers can be divided into two sections that can hold 175 people each and be used for training and other events. The first-floor also includes a 4,200 square-foot civic center, which can host 200 people and features a 100-year-old grand piano.
History and Easter eggs
(City of St. George) The St. George Community Mural, a 2,000-tile mosaic depicting outdoor enthusiasts recreating in Snow Canyon, at the new St. George City Hall.
For all its amenities, St. George Mayor Jimmie Hughes is enamored with the new City Hall’s downtown location.
“I love the fact that our City Hall building is located in the heart of downtown St. George, surrounded by so much of our history. It provides reminders of the sacrifices that were made so that St. George could become a thriving town,” Hughes said.
One of the reminders of that history is the building’s address, 61 S. Main, which pays homage to 1861, the year Brigham Young sent 309 families to settle in the area.
The building’s artwork, much of it sourced from the St. George Museum, shows the area’s history and cherished pastimes. That includes a 12-foot-by-24-foot tile mosaic over the entrance to the council chambers depicting hikers, cyclists and runners at Snow Canyon and made up of 2,000 tiles — half of them individually painted by residents.
“Everyone had the ability to participate, and no artistic skill was required,” said Peyton Lee, the city’s community arts manager. “What we wanted is for people to put themselves and what they love about St. George in the mural.”
There are also diminutive “Easter eggs” awaiting discovery — tiny metal figurines of hikers, bikers, golfers, painters and horseback riders, among others, perched atop signage throughout city hall.
“There’s a lot of them throughout the building,” Mortensen said, “but I don’t want to say too much because we want people to discover them on their own.”
The final frontier
(Mark Eddington | The Salt Lake Tribune) The atrium of the new St. George City Hall, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.
More artwork is on the way. The city has commissioned renowned artist Jerry Anderson to sculpt a life-sized bronze David and Wilhelmina Cannon, early settlers who once lived on the land now occupied by the new City Hall.
Wilhelmina, Mortensen explained, was so disenchanted with the area that she told her husband that unless he could find one thing of beauty she planned to return to Salt Lake City. The following day, David found a sego lily in full bloom, picked it and presented it to his spouse, who decided to stay. Anderson’s sculpture will display David handing the sego lily to Wilhelmina, Mortensen said.
Once it is finished, the sculpture will sit alongside other art, some shade structures and a few fire pits in an outdoor place that remains under construction on the south side of the building and is slated for completion in April, just in time for the opening of the annual St. George Arts Festival.