Dallas residents weigh in on council discussion over vacating city hall
Dallas City Council considers leaving iconic city hall
Dallas City Council is weighing whether to move out of its iconic City Hall, saying leasing office space could save $43–$97 million over 10 years.
DALLAS - Dallas City Council met Wednesday to discuss the possibility of leaving city hall, attracting residents who spoke for and against vacating the iconic building.
Dallas council considers moving
The latest:
City staff believe moving out of the iconic city hall building to lease an office tower could save anywhere from $43 to $97 million over a decade.
This idea of leaving the current Dallas City Hall got a lot of attention last month after some city leaders raised concerns about the cost of making needed repairs to the current building.
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‘Set our nostalgia aside’
What they're saying:
Dozens of people signed up to speak at Wednesday’s meeting. A few supported the resolution, believing money saved could be wisely spent elsewhere.
"We can set our nostalgia aside, and think about all of the money that might be invested into fixing this building and then compare it to investing that money in neighborhoods," one speaker said.
An overwhelming majority of speakers, however, oppose the resolution. Some are skeptical of estimated cost savings and the need.
Dallas leaders compare cost of repairing city hall vs leasing office space
Dallas city staff on Monday told council members that moving out and leasing a new building would be more cost-effective over 10 years. But some council members questioned how little staff expected a move to cost and how much it would take to repair the existing building.
The other side:
"Do the due diligence and get some hard numbers for the cost of all options, but that should include getting estimates from multiple independent engineers and contractors on the cost to fix this building," said speaker Damien Leveck.
There’s speculation regarding what would become of the current site, and whether there’s already a potential plan for the land to be used for something else, like a new NBA arena. Speakers reminded council that whatever it does, to do right by taxpayers.
"Not to developers, or a casino or sports investors looking for a sweet deal and who are forcing this premature vote," said speaker Melanie Vanlandingham.
Further considerations needed
What's next:
The resolution directs the city manager to evaluate office space needs, availability of lease or purchase options while developing potential site options, compare costs and more before providing an update in three months.
It’s not a done deal that city hall is moving, but it’s an official step that city council is taking a serious look.
The Source: Information in this report came from a Nov. 12 Dallas City Hall meeting.