The future of one of Dallas’ most recognizable landmarks — I.M. Pei’s inverted-pyramid City Hall — is up for debate.
City Council is deciding whether the city should pour hundreds of millions into deferred maintenance for the aging municipal headquarters or sell it outright, potentially opening the downtown site to private redevelopment, the Dallas Business Journal reported.
An arena for the Dallas Mavericks is among the plays being pitched for the site.
The conversation marks the first major undertaking for Mayor Eric Johnson’s new Committee on Government Efficiency, tasked with reviewing Dallas’ vast real estate holdings — starting with the seven-story, 1 million-square-foot building at 1500 Marilla Street.
The cost to fix it isn’t small. Deferred maintenance has surpassed $100 million, with documents pegging the total rehabilitation bill anywhere between $152 million and $345 million.
About $50 million of that is tied to the parking garage alone, which has leaks and flooding — problems that date back to before the building opened in 1978. Other fixes include an outdated HVAC system, roof replacement, plumbing and ADA upgrades, and a long-broken cafeteria grease trap.
Council member Chad West, who sits on the new committee, said the issue has been kicked down the road for decades.
“It will be an emotional decision,” West told the outlet. “But we have a responsibility to act like grown-ups.”
West acknowledged that while the building holds historical significance, maintenance hasn’t been a top public priority amid other pressing needs like public safety and infrastructure.
Preservationists, however, argue that selling City Hall would be a grave mistake. Sarah Crain of Preservation Dallas said the building is more than just a workplace — it’s “the people’s building,” designed to symbolize Dallas’ renewal after President Kennedy’s assassination.
“The conversation shouldn’t be about why we are investing in City Hall,” Crain said. “It should be about why aren’t we?”
Dallas Morning News architecture critic Mark Lamster echoed that view, calling demolition “an act of epic mismanagement.” He pointed to Boston’s renovation of its own Brutalist city hall as a model for Dallas.
Still, others see opportunity in the dirt under Marilla Street. City Hall sits on prime downtown land that could attract a major developer — even a sports franchise. With the Mavericks exploring arena options, some have floated the idea of repurposing the site for a new entertainment anchor.
City documents suggest relocating City Hall to a nearby office tower, with candidates including Bank of America Plaza and Comerica Bank Tower. The city owns roughly 5,800 properties, and the debate comes as leaders aim to modernize downtown and reassure investors after missteps like the ill-fated “Lemon on Stemmons,” a $29 million permitting-office debacle that ended in a fire sale.
— Eric Weilbacher
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