The city of Dallas' designation committee is set to discuss preservation criteria for landmarking City Hall, which — if approved by city council — could make it difficult to demolish or alter the building.
A landmark designation is ultimately decided by the city council and, according to the city code, it would set certain preservation criteria on a property.
Dallas City Hall is on the agenda for Wednesday's committee meeting.
Landmark Commissioner Reagan Rothenberger told KERA that designation criteria would ensure preservation standards guided long-term care and repairs of a building like City Hall.
After the full Landmark Commission's recommendation, Rothenberger said the ordinance approving the criteria goes to the Plan Commission and then to City Council.
The landmark designation discussion is happening as the city expects to receive an updated repair cost study on City Hall.
The study is conducted by the Dallas Economic Development Corporation and AECOM, which did the initial study 10 years ago. That report is expected to be delivered to the Finance Committee next week.
AECOM's study, published in 2018, looked at repair costs in 2016. The study found repairs estimated to cost nearly $19 million and replacements just under $93 million. However, it did not include water-infiltration assessments, engineering reviews, code compliance requirements, or addressing the removal of unknown hazardous materials.
But nearly ten years later, City Hall repairs had a wider range. City staff said cost estimates were from $152 million to more than $300 million as of late last year.
Sarah Crain, Preservation Dallas Executive Director, said she wants to see the full assessment from experts that gives a more precise look at what repairs will actually cost.
Those updated repair costs, expected later this month, could impact whether the city of Dallas stays at 1500 Marilla Street or moves to a high-rise in downtown.
"But, at the end of the day, if they do choose to stay in the building, then we at Preservation Dallas are committed to working with them on how we make a strategic and comprehensive maintenance plan that likely spans quite a few years," Crain said.
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