ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- The historic clock tower on Elmira's City Hall received a facelift and after one year of construction, it is complete. The scaffolding surrounded the clock tower because it was in disrepair, and there was water leaking into City Hall. 

"When I was elected in 2016, I was informed that the clock tower was in disrepair, there was a lot of leaking going on in the roof because of this clock tower, and that something had to be done," says City of Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell. "So we needed to make a decision to either tear it down or to restore it."

In 2019, the City of Elmira applied for a New York State Historic Preservation Grant, which was approved for $600,000. A separate $2.9 million came from the American Rescue Plan (ARP.) The funding went not just towards preparing the clock, but also addressing the water damage to City Hall. 

"It's iconic here for the city of Elmira," says Elmira City Manager Michael Collins. "It's part of City Hall, it's part of our structure, it's a historic building and property and we felt that being able to use monies through ARP and grant money again, we wouldn't have to go to the taxpayers for that to be done."

The clock tower has been a staple of the city since 1895. The finished touch-ups are not just new repairs to the clock itself, but also to the structure to also ensure City Hall remains a part of history for many years to come.

"It's a historic landmark. You know it's been here for a very long time. Years ago, when City Hall was first built, there was a major fire. They had to rebuild City Hall. That clock tower, I'm sure, was part of that. So to have something here that's been around for so many years and there's not a lot of clock towers left around the country I think it's very important to restore things like this and keep the city's heritage," says Mandell.