"They're excited to be in a more professional office setting," he said. "Juan (Ganum) won't have to be in servant quarters anymore."

"This building has its own character. It holds a special place for a lot of people in the community," he said. "But where we're going, to a modern building that accommodates all our employees, far outweighs what we're leaving behind."

Clerk Linda Casperson called the transition "a new beginning" but lamented that the [Chapin] building constituted perhaps the most beautiful City Hall in the country. Diane Bass, [Ric Huff]'s executive assistant, said her feelings ran from happy to sad.