Dallas City Manager Kimberly Tolbert will start looking into real estate and economic development options for City Hall — and potentially a new location — after a city council vote Wednesday.
The resolution passed in a 12-3 vote. Council members Paula Blackmon, Cara Mendelsohn and Paul Ridley voted against the item.
A facility evaluation will be assessed by a third party and presented to council members by February.
The assessment would include details on office space needs, leasing or purchasing options along with looking into sites for a potential new location, and comparing costs for each option.
Wednesday’s resolution is a long-awaited one. City leaders previously said maintenance to the building and its real estate portfolio has been put off more than a decade as other initiatives have been prioritized over the years.
Repairs to City Hall could have cost more than $345 million due to deferred maintenance, including garage structural repairs, HVAC and freight elevator upgrades, emergency generators, and upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
That left city leaders to decide between three options: maintain City Hall, pay for its repairs or relocate it entirely.
Residents have pushed back against relocation since the idea was publicly announced in October. Twenty-seven residents spoke at Wednesday’s meeting, most of them opposing the idea of a new facility.
Rene Schmidt called City Hall the heart of Dallas.
“Can you imagine Berlin without the Brandenburg Gate, Paris without the Eiffel Tower, or London without Big Ben?” Schmidt sad. “It is unthinkable that Dallas would even consider tearing down this iconic, award-winning architectural masterpiece.”
Mendelsohn and Ridley, before voting against the measure, raised questions about the speed of the process, pointing to three meetings held within the past two weeks regarding the future of City Hall.
“Is there any answer to why this is moving so quickly?” Mendelsohn asked Tolbert.
“I work at the pleasure of the city council, we are moving based on the direction that has been given to me, by this body.” Tolbert responded.
Additional reporting by Megan Cardona.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's Breaking News Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.
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