"Every time we went into the building, there was something you saw needed to be done," Eide said. "There were a number of things the city wanted to do, but were contingency plans. Because of our expertise, we were able to do almost $5 million worth of those jobs and still made budget."

The original clock was uniquely designed. It was one of just two pneumatic clocks in the world. A clock on the ground level of the building sent compressed air blasts up the tower, moving the hands of the two clocks in unison.

The original clock was installed in 1886 by Johnson Service Corp., a forerunner to Johnson Controls. The original translucent face -- clouded with soot and coal dust -- was painted over in the 1920s, giving the clock a black face with white hands.

The new clock is based on the original design and will be illuminated from behind, as it was originally.

The 20,000-pound bell, nicknamed "Solomon Juneau" in honor of Milwaukee's first mayor and one of its three original founders, has also been restored.

When it rang for the first time on New Year's Eve, legend says it could be heard as far as Racine and Oconomowoc. The bell was silenced by Mayor Daniel Webster Hoan in 1925, who claimed to have suffered migraine headaches from the sound.

"Not many people realize that there was a family that lived in the tower and was responsible for ringing the bell," Barrett said. "Mayor Hoan said he silenced the bell because of structural concerns, but it was decades later that we learned about his migraine headaches."

After Hoan's decree, the bell fell silent for 15 years, and rang again on July 4, 1940 to mark Independence Day. It wouldn't toll again until New Year's Eve 1999.

When installed in 1895, it took four men nearly 16 hours to raise the bell to the tower, a fact not lost on the current mayor, who saluted the crews that rebuilt the city 's most-recognized building.

"Picture us standing here 100 years ago, after this building was built by people without the equipment or technology that we have today," Barrett said.

Hundreds of workers worked on the project, including a large percentage that completed their apprenticeships. During the dedication ceremony, Mayor Barrett applauded the contractors for exceeding city-established mandates for minority and emerging-business participation.

Barrett, who took office in 2004, was looking forward to walking around the building without dodging construction workers or equipment. A native Milwaukeean, he appreciates the significance and history of the building and is a fan of some of its sometimes-quirky trivia.

He's especially partial to a set of paintings in the common council chambers, which depict City Hall, the State Capitol and the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

"I worked in all three of those places," Barrett said. "That's my personal favorite part."

The renovation efforts came not long after City Hall was designated a National Historic Landmark, an honor bestowed in April 1995. City Hall workers endured three years of noise and temporarily-relocated offices and passers-by on Water Street became accustomed to scaffolding blocking the sidewalks.

Now, with just some minor cleanup and last-minute touch-up work remaining, the bricks are back, the scaffolding is gone and City Hall is again standing proud in the heart of Downtown.

"The braces are off and the teenager can smile again," Barrett said.