The 3,200-square-foot addition is the second phase of the City Hall construction plan and will house the city’s planning and public works departments. The first portion of the administrative office was completed on Walnut Circle in May 2003.

Lamar Scroggs, Oakwood mayor, said the foundation for the expansion is already being laid.

"We’ve been planning on it for a good long while," Scroggs said. "We need to expand it for our needs and to have some more office space for new employees."

The addition will house the city’s planning department, public works supervisor and building inspector, who are currently operating from a mobile home across the street from City Hall.

The new office suite will also contain a conference room, more storage space and a vacant office, potentially for a city engineer.

Stan Brown, Oakwood manager, said the city has allocated $900,000 to construct and furnish the City Hall expansion, which will include new technology information systems to enhance city officials’ access to site plans, permits and maps.

Rosser International will serve as the construction manager for the project, while the city of Oakwood is the general contractor.

Brown said the addition will resemble the architecture of the existing City Hall, and should be completed by September.