![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/city-hall-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLARGO, Fla. – After more than a year of delays and mounting frustration from city leaders, Largo\u2019s new City Hall is now set to open to the public next week.<\/p>\n
The building, part of the $85 million Horizon West Bay development, will officially open its doors at 8 a.m. on May 19, bringing city services into a new downtown location.<\/p>\n
The opening follows months of setbacks, including a controversial $500,000 change order approved in March to fix basic code compliance issues required for the building to open.<\/p>\n
What we know:<\/p>\n
City officials said the last-minute fixes were needed to meet occupancy requirements, including changes to fire systems and emergency signage.<\/p>\n
Those issues sparked sharp criticism during a city commission meeting on March 3, where some leaders questioned how such fundamental safety items were missed so late in construction.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
City staff said the problems surfaced during final inspections and had to be addressed before the building could open.<\/p>\n
Without the fixes, officials said, the building would not have been cleared for occupancy.<\/p>\n
The project\u2019s opening has been pushed back more than a year due to construction challenges and hurricane-related delays.<\/p>\n
What Will Be At The New Town Hall? <\/p>\n
The new City Hall is part of a larger mixed-use development designed to anchor downtown Largo.<\/p>\n
The 87,000-square-foot facility will house key city services, including building, permitting and planning.<\/p>\n
The site also includes:<\/p>\n
Retail and restaurant spaceA public parking garage with more than 350 spacesA community event space designed for public gatherings <\/p>\n
City services will transition to the new building starting May 19, after temporarily moving online during the final days of the relocation.<\/p>\n
What we don’t know:<\/p>\n
City leaders have not yet said who is responsible for the construction issues that led to the additional costs and delays.<\/p>\n
Officials said a final audit of the project will examine major problems and could determine whether the issues stemmed from design errors, construction mistakes, or other factors.<\/p>\n
There is also no clear timeline for when the full Horizon West Bay development, including retail and restaurant spaces, will be fully occupied.<\/p>\n
Big picture view:<\/p>\n
Horizon West Bay has been promoted as a long-term investment aimed at revitalizing downtown Largo and creating a more walkable, connected city center.<\/p>\n
The project replaces the city\u2019s aging City Hall and is intended to bring public services, businesses, and community spaces into one central location.<\/p>\n
The first City Commission meeting inside the new building is scheduled for the evening of May 19. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for June 2.<\/p>\n
The Source: Information in this story comes from a City of Largo announcement, publicly available project documents, and city commission meeting discussions.<\/p>\n