Niles has hired a professional architecture firm to provide planning and design services for the restoration of the Chapin Mansion’s 70 groupings of windows.

Niles City Council approved the hiring of Kil Architecture/Planning, of South Bend, Ind., at Monday’s regular meeting. The city is paying the firm $12,000 using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, with no impact to the general fund.

Kil Architecture employees were at the Chapin Mansion Monday assessing the existing condition of the windows, taking photographs and notes.

The City of Niles has set aside $100,000 in CDBG funds toward the restoration project.

Greg Kil, principal at Kil Architecture, said his firm has done similar work on dozens of historic rehabilitation projects in the past.

“It is a spectacular building with a lot of amazing architecture and amazing stained and art glass windows,” Kil said. “We are grateful to be part of the project and excited about the opportunity to work on such a special building.”

Kil said he hopes to have the rehabilitation design plans finished by the end of July.

The Chapin Mansion is a Victorian period structure built in 1882. It was the private home of Henry and Ruby Chapin until 1902.

The home served as Niles City Hall until the summer of 2012, when the city hall was relocated to its current site at 333 N. Second St.