Rutherford County has begun renovating a building at 120 E. Main St. in downtown Murfreesboro that will become the new home of five county departments: Building Codes, the Election Commission, Finance, Fire Rescue Administration, and Planning and Engineering. The departments need to move out of the Goldstein Building, according to the county.
The county announced the start of the Administrative Offices Project on Aug. 31, 2026, saying the renovation kicked off the previous Friday with Mayor Joe Carr, county commissioners, employees and others in attendance.
Which Rutherford County departments are moving to 120 E. Main St.?
The county lists five departments that will relocate to 120 E. Main St.:
- Building Codes
- Election Commission
- Finance
- Fire Rescue Administration
- Planning and Engineering
Why are the county offices moving?
Carr said the departments needed to move from the Goldstein Building, and that finding a downtown building to house them was a years-long search involving several players. He called the project an example of what can happen when people work together to solve difficult issues.
Building Codes Director Tanya Bell said the Goldstein Building had served her department well for many years and that the move will keep it in downtown Murfreesboro. She said the new building will give the department a more modern, functional space for employees and for the citizens, contractors and development community it works with.
Planning Director Doug Demosi said the project will let the departments keep up their customer service while leaving room for future growth.
What does the move mean for voters?
Administrator of Elections Alan Farley said the new space will help the Election Commission serve voters, especially during early voting. He said it will consolidate the office's square footage and provide a floor plan that is more efficient for the thousands of people who early vote in the office each election cycle.
Farley also said Kline Swinney helped design a records storage system for the nearly half a million voter records the office is required to keep on file.
The county's announcement does not give a completion date or a date for when the departments will begin working at 120 E. Main St. For the Nov. 3, 2026, election, the Election Commission lists its office at 1 S. Public Square, Suite 103, and voters can find Election Day locations in the guide to Rutherford County's Election Day vote centers.
What does the move mean for Fire Rescue?
Deputy Chief and Fire Marshal Josh Sanders said the project is more than additional office space. He called it a critical investment in Rutherford County Fire Rescue's ability to meet the department's growing needs.
More downtown Murfreesboro and county news
The project adds to county activity in downtown Murfreesboro, home of the Murfreesboro Public Square, whose story is told in the Murfreesboro history guide. City government sits a few blocks away at Murfreesboro City Hall. The Rutherford County guide covers other county services, and early voters can plan ahead with the Rutherford County early voting guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Rutherford County's offices moving?
Rutherford County is renovating 120 E. Main St. in downtown Murfreesboro for its Building Codes, Election Commission, Finance, Fire Rescue Administration, and Planning and Engineering departments.
Where are those departments now?
The county says the departments need to move from the Goldstein Building.
When will the new county offices open?
The county's announcement does not give an opening date. The renovation started in late August 2026.
Is the Election Commission moving before the November 2026 election?
The county has not announced a move date. The Election Commission currently lists its office at 1 S. Public Square, Suite 103, Murfreesboro, and can be reached at 615-898-7743.
Who attended the start of the project?
Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr, county commissioners, employees and well-wishers attended, along with the directors of the departments that will move into the building.
Sources: Rutherford County: Rutherford County Starts Administrative Offices Project, Rutherford County Election Commission.
*Photo: Rutherford County.*