Amherstburg council approved Monday night a proposal in principle from the Valente Development Corporation to develop a new townhall within the former General Amherst High School.
The development of site as a whole would include a new town hall, residential living, retail stores and restaurants, gym, two new parks and two designated parking lots.
35,000 square feet would be set aside for the town hall, including building a multi-purpose council chambers with a civic theatre, which developers say could be used for concerts or plays when not in use.
The heritage façade, including the majority of murals, would be preserved.
The interior of the building would be removed and fully reconstructed in accordance with current building standards and alignment with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requirements, which go into effect in 2030
Administration will now seek public input on the proposal through an open house scheduled for Saturday Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Libro Centre. A survey will also be launched to gather feedback.