Welcome to the new City Hall at Skyline Center
Published on September 09, 2025
On Monday, Sept. 8, City officials, staff, and community members came together to celebrate the official ribbon cutting and ceremonial reveal of Wilmington’s new City Hall at Skyline Center. The celebration began with the first official meeting inside the brand-new Council Chambers, an event marked by the unveiling of the City seal — a major milestone in Wilmington’s continued growth and transformation.
City Hall at Skyline Center represents a long-term vision realized. For the first time, fifteen City departments are now housed under one roof, making it easier than ever for residents to access key services such as planning, permitting, and utility billing in a centralized, customer-focused location.
“Today, for the first time, residents can come to one location for city meetings, planning services, permitting, billing, and more,” Mayor Bill Saffo said, highlighting the impact of bringing municipal services together under one roof.
The move enhances convenience for the public while delivering substantial savings for taxpayers. The City purchased the building for $43 million under market value — saving more than $55 million compared to the cost of constructing a new facility from the ground up.
In addition to serving as the new home for City operations, Skyline Center is also poised to generate long-term economic benefits. Nineteen commercial leases have been signed or are pending, representing $16.7 million in revenue. Once finalized, those agreements will bring building occupancy above 85%. An on-site parking deck provides access for both tenants and the public, supporting Wilmington’s parking fund and encouraging activity in the northern downtown corridor.
“This will be more than a new City Hall — it will be a space that reflects who we are as a City: forward-thinking, collaborative, and committed to engaging with our residents in a meaningful way,” said City Manager Becky Hawke.
The building’s transformation was completed in just eight months, with renovation costs reduced from the original $6.3 million estimate to $5.5 million, thanks to efficient planning and strong project management.
Although many departments have already transitioned into Skyline Center, Monday’s event marked the formal unveiling of Wilmington’s new City Hall and the introduction of the Council Chambers as the new home for public meetings moving forward. With this milestone, the City reaffirms its commitment to delivering accessible, efficient services in a space designed to better connect with and serve the community.
As a reminder, there are updated parking details(PDF, 2MB) for community members wanting to attend public meetings at the Skyline Center.