I.M. Pei’s Dallas City Hall courtesy of Katherine Leal Unmuth
By Reagan Rothenberger
Reagan Rothenberger serves on the Dallas Landmark Commission and requested the initiation of Dallas City Hall as a landmark in March of 2025. The commission voted unanimously to initiate the landmark.
The first time one sees Dallas City Hall, they are either impressed or depressed by its design. The opinions of the building are as sharp as its pointed brow looming over the Park Plaza. Stepping around the architecture debate, I argue that Dallas City Hall is richer in history and significance than just about any other building in our city. That is because it is the people’s building, dreamed up and built by the people of Dallas for the people of Dallas.
In May of 1964, recently appointed Mayor J. Erik Jonsson and a Dallas delegation of about 15 people, including noted architect Bud Oglesby, visited Scandinavia on a city planning tour. The mayor took a particular fondness to Copenhagen’s town hall, stating, “It showed us how a city hall might be built. We like how the town hall looked onto a big square.”
I surmise it was there that Dallas City Hall was conceived. A dream was born.
Credit: Mimi Perez for CandysDirt.com
A few months prior to this trip, Dallas was brought to its knees with the assassination of a young president in its streets. Though this nightmare hastened a need for Dallas to repair its image, it would be overly simple to tie the dream of a new city hall solely to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In August of 1963, a Dallas Morning News article proclaimed the issue of a space crisis for city offices. A $5 million bond for a “City Hall expansion” was passed in April of 1964.
In January of 1965, a large Site Selection Committee of residents recommended purchasing a 10-acre tract of land just east of Memorial Auditorium (the 4.5 acres for the Park Plaza north of Marilla
were purchased in 1968). Committee member Carl Thomsen stated, “When you stand on this one [site near the auditorium] and look back at downtown Dallas, you get a mental picture of what can be achieved here. You get mighty enthusiastic.”
Credit: Mimi Perez for CandysDirt.com
The Dream Began To Take Form
Selecting an architect was to be done with prudence. Councilwoman Elizabeth Blessing, an enthusiastic supporter of a new city hall, advocated for professionals — not politicians — to serve on committees.
Her dream came true. Dallas architects, including the Dallas chapter of the AIA, had an official say in the architect selection process. By early 1966, the Architect Search Committee, headed by notable Dallasites like Ruth Collins, Stanley Marcus, and John Stemmons, had selected I. M. Pei and Partners of New York to design the building.
Credit: Mimi Perez for CandysDirt.com
Much could be written about Mr. Pei’s importance to architecture in the 20th century on a global scale: The Grand Louvre, National Gallery of Art East Building, etc. I have significant admiration for Mr. Pei, and as a member of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, I have studied every angle of his other major public building in Dallas, the Meyerson Symphony Center. One could say that Mr. Pei allowed Dallas’ dreams to come to fruition not once but twice with these buildings. Mr. Pei also designed and built the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston during roughly the same time frame as the Dallas City Hall. Quite the striking parallel since Boston’s building sought to perpetuate Kennedy’s memory while Dallas’ sought to overcome it.
Mr. Pei’s buildings are unfortunately remembered for cost overruns due to their complexity. Our current city council can commiserate with the council of the early 1970s; there were few strong advocates for the building due to rising costs. One clear voice was Councilman George L. Allen, who stated that the new city hall would give Dallas “an outstanding spot of interest,” pointing out the building’s dedication to supporting good governance.
Credit: Mimi Perez for CandysDirt.com
The Dallas City Hall Dream Has Persevered
After nearly 14 years of planning and construction, City Hall began its service as the bulwark building for the seat of our government in 1978. The dream was realized. Even with our neglect, it stands proudly to serve us. Exactly what monumental institutional buildings are supposed to do.
However, after nearly 50 years, the dream has started to fade. The interior is not as Pei envisioned. His designed furniture is gone. The Great Court has been closed in with cubicles, blocking the view of the plaza and downtown. The carpet is stained. Signage is confusing. Some argue functionality is lacking, and oh, don’t mention the Park Plaza. Now, suddenly, right this very second, we need to spend upwards of $345 million to fix it all. A pipe dream.
There is no doubt we will hear many arguments about the cost benefits and practicality of staying with the building. Currently, the data behind these arguments is nebulous, but do we ask these questions of major public buildings like the Meyerson Symphony Center? City parks?
I argue that Dallas City Hall serves crucial purposes more important than any other park or public building. It’s our seat of government, it keeps our city humming. It will never be an income-generating proposition, and any city hall for a top-10 city will be expensive to operate. Leasing a building has been discussed, but it is hard to imagine leaving a city-owned building and allowing core city services to be subjected to an office tower landlord.
Credit: Mimi Perez for CandyDirt.com
You see, Dallas, I am concerned that a building that took 14 years of planning and construction to complete will have its fate decided in a mere few months. An alternate, hazy, undefined dream has appeared that hastily floats the idea of destroying a public asset with unique architectural heritage. This building not only defines Dallas, but was defined by Dallas. Dreamed by a first-generation American turned mayor and countless women and men alike. I understand this isn’t a museum, and we need a functional building. I am very much for the redevelopment of the Park Plaza and for looking closely at the restoration of a functional interior. An addition to the rear? Sure!
Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons
J. Erik Jonsson drove home the dream of Dallas City Hall at its groundbreaking ceremony on August 14, 1972.
“I think this city hall will be a great one. I think the people who work for the City of Dallas are entitled to it. They should have the kind of workplace in which they, too, from the layman’s standpoint, the council and mayors to come, can dream great dreams. And that the administrators who get the job done for them can see that the dreams are realized to the fullest extent possible. That’s what the city hall dream was all about.”
Dallas City Hall was a dream of our city during a pivotal time in its history. We should dream big and ensure this crucial and unique piece of American architectural heritage is preserved for future generations. This is our building. Will you help me perpetuate this dream?