The 58,250-square-foot, $78 million Brookhaven City Centre Marks the Municipality’s First City Hall.

A joint venture between St. Louis-based McCarthy Building Companies and Tyrone, Georgia-based Barnsley Construction Group has reached a significant milestone by topping out Georgia’s first government facility constructed primarily with mass timber, according to a news release from McCarthy on October 14.

The Brookhaven City Centre, a 58,250-square-foot project with a budget of $78 million—of which $60 million is allocated for construction—broke ground a year ago. This facility will serve as the inaugural city hall for Brookhaven, Georgia, since its incorporation in 2012.

The five-story building will be a key part of the mixed-use City Centre project, located next to the Brookhaven Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail station, and will replace a former parking lot.

According to McCarthy, the city hall will feature administrative offices and city council chambers. It will also include three upper levels for city employees, a rooftop garden, and one level of underground parking with 70 spaces, in addition to a multi-purpose room, catering kitchen, and various support spaces available for public use. Approximately 60% of the facility will be designated for general public access.

The structure will prominently feature exposed mass timber throughout its upper levels, complemented by a concrete parking garage. The McCarthy + Barnsley JV successfully completed the intricate assembly of the wood panels in September.

McCarthy noted that the team faced unique challenges compared to traditional concrete and steel construction, including logistics for loading and unloading, training subcontractors on proper timber positioning during installation, and maneuvering large timber pieces in confined spaces.

“Brookhaven City Centre is an excellent representation of mass timber’s inherent flexibility and versatility, and we’re proud to be a part of a development that is breaking new ground,” said Selina Schulten, president at Barnsley Construction Group, in the release.