The future of Dallas City Hall remains uncertain as a prominent downtown advocacy group throws its support behind demolishing the nearly five-decade-old building and relocating city operations.
Downtown Dallas Inc., which promotes economic development in the city’s urban core, announced its support for tearing down the 47-year-old structure and pursuing a new development on the site.
“We feel that the opportunity is huge,” said Jennifer Scripps, the organization’s chief executive officer.
Scripps, in remarks at the DDI annual meeting held Friday at the Fairmont Hotel, said she believes city leaders would be “acting as responsible stewards of our tax dollars by approving a relocation.”
The site has emerged as a potential location for a future complex tied to the Dallas Mavericks, an idea bolstered by a recent report estimating the current City Hall building could require up to $1 billion in upgrades over the next 20 years.
But the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from some members of the Dallas City Council.
Council member Adam Bazaldua said his reaction to the proposal is “frustration and anger, quite frankly.”
“This is about a land grab. This is about an economic development opportunity,” Bazaldua said, likening the concept to corporate welfare for billionaire sports team owners. He added that many residents oppose abandoning the current City Hall building.
“The perception that I’ve gained is that the average taxpayer of our city is adamantly opposed to us making a decision to get rid of our city hall,” Bazaldua said. “It speaks volume when some of our key stakeholders have a pre-determined outcome what the real motivation is for it.”
Despite backing relocation of City Hall and repurposing the 10.5 acres for economic development, Downtown Dallas Inc. says any new City Hall should remain in the downtown area. The group also wants the Mavericks, along with the Dallas Stars and the Dallas Wings, to stay downtown as part of broader redevelopment efforts.
Scripps said such a move could “help us breathe life into the long dormant southern side of downtown and finally restitch downtown to southern Dallas.”
“Dallas City Hall is no longer serving its intended purpose,” Scripps said. “The important functions that happen and must continue to happen within our city government are inefficient – truly stymied in that space.”
City officials are accelerating discussions about the building’s future. A City Council briefing to consider options is scheduled for next week.