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Dallas leaders will pursue a city hall move
The Dallas City Council wants to pursue moving out of its landmark city hall building. The council voted 9-5 with one person absent to authorize spending $3 million to take the first steps toward abandoning city hall.
DALLAS - Dallas leaders have taken the first step towards leaving the current Dallas City Hall building after a vote on Wednesday.
What we know:
On Wednesday, Dallas City Council voted nine to five to authorize spending $3 million dollars towards a search for a new location for Dallas City Hall.
One city council member was absent for today's vote.
City Manager Kim Tolbert will bring back four locations that the city could lease or buy to use for a new Dallas City Hall location, as well as additional properties for a 911 call center, in August.
City Council member Cara Mendelsohn brought forth motions to ensure a new City Hall building would not be in a building older than the current one, and that the new building have public space adjacent to the building.
All motions raised failed by the same nine to five margin that the original vote passed with.
What they're saying:
In a statement after the vote, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the city council made the right move, citing relocation as more cost-efficient for the city than renovation of the current building.
"In addition to being the most fiscally responsible decision, relocation presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine 1500 Marilla Street as something that unlocks new economic potential in Downtown Dallas. As our city welcomes World Cup visitors, we are getting a taste of how energetic Downtown Dallas can be, but we are also seeing the limitations of its current state. The decisions we make now can help us rejuvenate our urban core and create a more vibrant downtown that serves Dallasites for decades to come."
Local perspective:
"Shame, shame, shame on you."
Many Dallas residents attended Wednesday's City Council meeting. Those in favor of staying in the current I.M. Pei-designed building wore blue, and were critical if the council's vote.
"This building is an architectural marvel, an icon representing Dallas worldwide," Elena Stephens said.
"City Hall is our house, it's paid for and the crown jewel of Dallas," Catherine Garrison said.
Residents who are proponents of a move out of the current building wore green at the meeting.
"Downtown has been sliding for so long we need bold leadership to revive downtown, fill vacant space, bring energy to restaurants and turn this area into a viable economic district," Lucy Billingsly said.
Dallas City Hall's future
The backstory:
The future of Dallas City Hall has been in question since March, when Dallas City Council voted to explore leaving the iconic I.M. Pei-designed structure.
Earlier this month, experts from two different firms presented options to Dallas City Council that ranged from $530 million to $610 million. Those costs are strictly for repairs and not potential upgrades to the building.
The latest estimates are less than the $1.4 billion estimate to keep the iconic building from February, but more than AECOM's $304 million baseline repair estimate presented in May. The latter estimate included a 10-year plan for repairs.
City council members characterized the fight to save the building as a fight for Dallas itself.
"It's not a debate about whether we love an old building, Councilman Adam Bazaldua said. "This is a debate whether Dallas has done right by our taxpayers, whether we keep our word protected assets, and, from a process designed to make predetermined outcome look inevitable."
Today's vote came after a previously scheduled vote on exploring leaving the current City Hall building was blocked after a lawsuit was filed by several Dallas City Council members.
Proponents of Dallas City Hall have filled the building during recent City Council meetings to try and save the structure.
"This building we are in right now is the best thing Dallas has," Mick Weisberg told FOX 4's Lori Brown.
Others, like Jim Lake, said recent downtown departures from the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars came due to the continued debate over City Hall, and a new location is needed.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for this generation to activate this sight."
The Source: Information in this story comes from a Dallas City Council meeting.