Half of Napier City Council's 200 staff have made the move from their earthquake-prone buildings to their new work spaces for the next several years.
The two civic buildings which housed the council's staff were found to be earthquake prone in June, prompting the relocation of staff into three buildings in the Napier CBD.
Staff began moving last month, with council director corporate services Adele Henderson saying approximately half council's total staff had moved so far.
Last week 36 staff moved into the Cape View building on the corner of Hastings St and Marine Parade, in the offices above Harcourts, joining 58 staff who moved there a fortnight ago.
This building will house the infrastructure, city development, communications and marketing and community services departments.
Yesterday Napier mayor Bill Dalton applauded council staff for developing an "incredibly positive attitude" in the face of an unsettling relocation process.
It was a credit to staff that they had been able to continue delivering a public service during the disruption of the move, he said.
"That service has been undiminished and they've just got on with what they have to do, and I just admire them for it."
Although he had worked in the building since first elected in 2007, Mr Dalton said he was not "particularly sad" about leaving it, as it was not fit for purpose.
"I'm probably the only mayor in New Zealand that doesn't have air conditioning in his office... that has to put buckets under the leaks when it rains. I won't be shifting probably until December, but it won't break my heart to shift."
Mrs Henderson said the council's "remaining staff will move the last two weeks before Christmas".
Council's corporate services department will be housed in the Napier Central Post Office, while planning teams will move to Dunvegan House, where the customer service centre will open from the ground floor from early 2018.
It is thought staff could remain in these buildings for between three and five years as new council premises are developed.
Last week submissions closed on the council's statement of proposal for its Civic Site Optimisation. This proposes allowing the council to make one half of the site available to be used for commercial purpose.
All council staff could be housed in one building on the other half of the same site.
Council director community services Antoinette Campbell said submissions would be summarised this week.