An independent consultant team says Dallas City Hall's structure is not an issue. But concerns like plumbing, generators, and the garage need to be addressed and can be repaired with a 10-year phased approach.
Don Powell is the executive vice president of architecture and planning with Fidelis Realty Partners. He was among the consultants who briefed Dallas City Council members on Wednesday.
He said the building's cast-in-place concrete frame will have a life expectancy between 200 to 400 years.
"It is not going to be the failure of the city," Powell said. "The thing that make buildings, office buildings particularly, obsolete is not the structure, it's the limitation for pathways for enhancements for technology."
Wednesday's briefing was the City Council's introduction to the consultant team who are planning two options for a 10-year phased approach for repairs.
The City Council will hear repair cost estimates for the City Hall building — designed by famed architect I.M. Pei — in two weeks.
This comes as council members weigh whether to stay at 1500 Marilla Street or move elsewhere — and possibly sell the property. It's a topic that has council members and residents split on whether to stay or go.
Several speakers came to Wednesday's briefing. Some wore "Save Dallas City Hall" pins and others wore green shirts in support of downtown. Residents advocating for downtown have said the City Hall property could be better used to grow business in downtown.
A date has not been set for that vote as of Wednesday.
City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert was directed by council members earlier this year to explore real estate options and develop at least two options for phased repairs and replacements over a 10-year period.
The consultant team says that a phased approach is possible and could be done without relocating city employees.
Powell is among the team that include program management consultants from Athenian Group, architects from Gresham Smith, and construction engineering company IMEG. City staff engaged the team around mid-April to start site visits and to ensure it was a project the group would be willing to take on.
Some Dallas City Council members praised the work done focusing on a phased approach to repair City Hall.
Council Member Adam Bazaldua thanked the group for clearing up "fear-mongering" that took place ahead of the meeting.
"I don't think that it was helpful for the morale for people to think that they were working in a hazardous environment," Bazaldua said. "And so I think that's it's been great clarification to make sure that we're not putting anyone in danger."
City staff first presented concerns over the building's life expectancy last year when they estimated years of deferred maintenance could cost the city more than $300 million.
A report conducted by the Dallas Economic Development Corporation and AECOM, estimated that repair costs alone could be at least $329.4 million and require temporary staff relocation. The report also estimated it could cost the city one billion to fully repair over a 20-year period.
Bazaldua noted the absence of that billion dollar figure during the briefing.
"Again, this is the true, honest conversation that we're having instead of just seeking headlines," he said.
Council Member Kathy Stewart said her anxiety level regarding City Hall had gone down after hearing the consultant's presentation.
"Because now we're talking real life scenarios, you're just giving us facts," Stewart said.
Others on the council worried conducting repairs while leaving the building operational could disrupt working conditions and the health of city employees.
Council Members Paula Blackmon, Gay Donnell Willis, and Lorie Blair were among the members who brought up necessary asbestos abatement and whether it could be done while people were working in the building.
Mike Purcell, with Structure Tone Southwest, said an industrial hygienist would oversee putting in temporary walls and a negative air machine that sucks air into the space preventing it from spreading outside of the designated area. A machine outside the room would have a 99.964% filter.
But Council Member Willis was not convinced. She said ten years was too long for employees to live in repair conditions.
"I see employees wearing masks today," Willis said. "I assume they have some sort of maybe health compromise. So even the 99.6% may not be enough for some people."
The consultant team will return June 3 to present its repair plan and estimated costs.
However, the exact costs over the next ten years are not guaranteed.
Will Mundinger with the WM2 Company said he's been asked at town halls to give the exact figure for the 10-year plan.
"Anybody that can tell you a real number in year eight on a 10-year plan, you better run." Mundinger said. "It's not there."
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