When the City of East Gull Lake set out to replace its 90-year-old city hall, the goal was about more than creating a new building. The City wanted a space that would better serve residents, support staff, and reflect the character of the community for years to come.
Widseth partnered with City staff to develop a design that felt welcoming, functional, and uniquely East Gull Lake. Through regular collaboration the team explored multiple concepts before arriving at a solution that balances modern amenities with the community’s lakeside identity.
The resulting facility is a dramatic improvement over the city’s former one-room schoolhouse. Today, city staff have dedicated offices, meeting spaces, and council chambers that allow them to better serve residents while enjoying a safer and more productive work environment. Widseth provided architectural, interior design, surveying, civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering services, allowing the project team to coordinate every aspect of the design from start to finish.
“There is definitely a sense of pride when coming to work every day,” said City Administrator Laura Christensen. “The entire community, as well as staff, are very proud.”
One standout feature greets visitors immediately upon entering the building: a custom metal art installation inspired by the City of East Gull Lake logo. Created by welding students from Central Lakes College, the piece transformed a simple wayfinding element into a unique expression of community pride and local talent.
For Widseth, the greatest success of the project is seeing how the building is being used today. East Gull Lake now has a city hall that not only meets its operational needs, but also creates a welcoming civic space where staff, elected officials, and residents can connect for generations to come.
