The first phase of a new preservation project is currently underway at Langley City Hall.

This past week, a foundation repair organization installed 20 helical piles and injected a polyurethane foam to lift and support the building’s structure, according to Public Works Director Randi Perry.

Upcoming phases will include brick repair and sealing to protect the building, which was constructed in 1948.

Perry said the foundation has been settling over the years, with the west side of the building about 4 inches lower than the east side.

“This has created cracks in the floor and in the brick façade,” she wrote in an email to The Record. “The piles are drilled into the ground and the lifting is from the bottom which will level things out and give it a firm footing for the future.”

The project’s first phase was expected to be completed this week and is funded by municipal capital reserves. The project’s total budget is $75,000. The city’s public works department expects there to be additional incidental repairs to drywall and doors.

Perry said she will request that funding for the next phase – brick repair and sealing – be put in the budget for 2023. She will also search for grant funding to assist with the costs associated with that phase.