Dallas City Hall repairs possible without staff moving out, new panel says
Dallas City Hall repair costs could be lower than projected
A panel of experts told Dallas City Council that it would be possible for staff to remain in Dallas City Hall during repairs, which differs from previous repair plans. FOX 4's Lori Brown has more.
DALLAS - A new panel of experts told Dallas leaders on Wednesday that it is possible for staff to continue operating out of City Hall while extensive repairs are made.
This contradicts a previous 10-year plan with a $1 billion price tag.
The Future of Dallas City Hall
What we know:
One of the biggest costs for repairing Dallas City Hall is the need to move to a temporary location during the repairs.
But architecture and planning experts told Dallas City Council members on Wednesday that it is possible for employees to remain in the building, even during asbestos abatement.
"It does not have to be done all at once. We can compartmentalize the building and do asbestos abatement," said Don Powell, the executive vice president of Fidelis. "People say has this ever been done? Hospitals do it all the time. The barriers built to secure the hospital during abatement are very credible."
Dustin Yates, a project executive with IMEG Corp, noted that similar phased renovations were successfully completed for the Los Angeles County board hearing room between meetings.
Dallas City Hall repair plan could take 10 years to complete
A panel of experts will present a 10-year repair plan for the current Dallas City Hall building during a City Council meeting tomorrow as the city continues to debate on the structure's future.
What we don't know:
The presentation stopped short of providing a new cost estimate for the repairs deemed necessary.
What they're saying:
The meeting drew about 45 public speakers who were both for and against saving Dallas City Hall.
Those wearing green shirts argued moving out is the best way to revitalize southern Downtown Dallas.
Meanwhile, those in favor of saving Dallas City Hall said a proposal submitted by the University of Texas at Arlington shows it is possible to build a Dallas Mavericks arena on the 47 acres between the convention center and city hall without demolishing the existing iconic structure.
One speaker even compared Dallas City Hall to the recent decision to paint over the Wyland mural of whales, saying once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.
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A Dallas artist is taking legal action after his iconic whale mural in downtown Dallas was painted over to make room for a World Cup display.
What's next:
The council is set to meet in closed session to discuss options for leasing or buying alternative space if they were to move out of the current building.
They will also discuss potential litigation by the "Save Dallas City Hall" group, which has threatened to sue if the city moves forward with selling or leasing the site to the Mavericks.
The panel of architects is expected to provide a more detailed plan from council member feedback and provide an updated cost estimate on June 3.
The Source: FOX 4's Lori Brown gathered information for this story at Wednesday's Dallas City Council meeting.