It has been a steady, although fairly quite drumbeat for more than 30 years since city government shifted its headquarters to 1001 West Center Street: Bring City Hall back downtown.

Critics contend the decision to move the City Hall from the stately two-story brick structure on Sycamore Avenue that was built in 1923 to the Civic Center campus on Center Street was the equivalent of city leaders abandoning downtown.

For a government abandoning downtown, Manteca has a funny way of showing it.

First there was nearly $3 million spent at the turn of the 21st century on new pavers, stylist street lights that replaced the drab 1950s-era poles, assistance with murals and the creation of two mini-plazas - one in front of the American Legion Hall on East Yosemite Avenue and the other on Maple Avenue.

Then there was the $1.2 million makeover and expansion of Library Park just completed last month.

On Thursday, the council will dedicate the new $2.1 million animal shelter on the southern entrance to downtown on South Main. The city purchased and tore down a gypsum board yard and replaced it with a stylist structure that architect Eric Wohle said “was designed to grab the public’s attention.” The goal is to make the animal shelter get noticed in a bid to encourage more pet adoptions.

The 11 a.m. Thursday ceremonies won’t mark the last municipal investment in the central district. Work has already started on the new $4.5 million city vehicle maintenance facility across the street.

Next month a contract for the $7.3 million transit station at Moffat Boulevard and South Main Street will be awarded.

While none of the projects are a city hall, they represent an accumulative $18.1 million that Manteca has invested in the central district of the city that some claim they have abandoned.

The 7,000-square-foot station will include a 100-space parking lot on 3.1 acres. It also will have a public meeting room with kitchen facilities as well as a public plaza being designed as a gathering place for events.

Initially, the transit center will serve as a Manteca hub for Manteca Transit buses as well as San Joaquin Regional Transit bus service. It is designed to accommodate intercity service such as Greyhound if the city can attain a stop again plus as a possible Altamont Commuter Express stop should ACE opt to use the existing Union Pacific corridor to reach Modesto.

All of the corporation yard work - including the animal shelter - is being paid for with growth fees collected specifically for government facilities. The Library Park was a mix of growth fees collected for parks and redevelopment funds. The transit station is a mixture of $4.5 million of federal stimulus money, $3.8 million stand bond money, and Measure K sales tax dedicated to transit projects.