Early meetings of the local council were held in Saint-Samson tower at the Châtelet, which dated back to the 12th century and was located at the north end of the bridge across the River Loire.

The site they selected, on the opposite side of Rue Théophile Chollot, was occupied by the Opera House which was duly demolished in July 1974.

The new building was designed by Xavier Arsène-Henry in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone and was officially opened on 15 December 1981.

The public entrance was at the right-hand corner of the courtyard but the civic rooms were in the south block, which featured a symmetrical main frontage of five bays facing onto Rue Théophile Chollot.

[11] A plaque to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the city by the 137th Infantry Regiment, part of the 3rd United States Army, under Lieutenant General George S. Patton, during the Second World War, was unveiled outside the building on 16 August 1984.