The City of Sanford has finalized plans to expand the Sanford Municipal Center, transforming the property into an accessible public space that resolves current space limitations while providing room for further growth.
At a workshop on September 23, ADW Architects shared the final design for Sanford’s new municipal campus. The plan adds a building, a linear park, a splash pad, and a greenway that will connect to the future Sanford Central Green.
Consolidating customer service functions, such as utility payments and services, in the new building will allow for more accessibility. The campus design provides public parking within feet of the building’s front entrance, as well as in close proximity to the park and splash pad.
The design accomplishes Sanford City Council’s goal of creating “a more user-friendly and invigorated public space that serves the needs of our community, while increasing both activity and engagement on the campus,” says Mayor Rebecca Wyhof Salmon.
Also presented during the workshop was the final cost for the project. For a 33,000 sq ft building, a park and splash pad, the greenway connection, and several safety improvements, Edifice Construction, which has built 15 municipal facilities in North Carolina, anticipates a total cost of $27.7 million.
“The campus will be a shared space that brings people together – whether that’s to conduct business or strengthen community bonds,” Salmon says. “Integrating these public amenities and connecting the improved campus to downtown through the Sanford Central Green is a crucial component of our Council’s plan to transform East Sanford.”
With the final design approved, construction on the expansion is expected to begin this November. Edifice projects a 17-month construction timeline, setting April 2027 as the target date of completion.
Learn more about the Sanford Municipal Center expansion project on our projects hub.