Two Dallas City Council members are hosting a listening session Monday to gather input from residents on the future of City Hall.
The meeting comes when the Dallas City Council is debating whether to renovate or demolish City Hall. City officials estimated repairs to the downtown building could cost up to $345 million.
Related
During a finance committee meeting last week, city council members were divided on the future of the nearly 50-year-old building. The most significant problems include water leaks damaging the foundation, structural issues in the parking garage, and outdated electrical and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. The building also needs upgrades to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, including improvements to restroom accessibility.
Breaking News
The discussion centered on the likelihood that the land would be used to build a new area for the Dallas Mavericks.
Council member Cara Mendelsohn, who signaled support for keeping the current City Hall, and council member Paul Ridley, who represents parts of downtown and also supports repairing the building, are hosting the meeting.
Mendelsohn said she was concerned that developers were driving the conversation about the future of City Hall, and accused city staff of pushing to abandon the building rather than fixing it.
There is a big, important issue that has popped up at city hall… and it is the future of city hall itself. Some are suggesting we abandon the iconic, debt-free building and move to rental office tower space. Others say we stay put. There are questions about the… pic.twitter.com/FUrwPJA3ck
— Cara Mendelsohn 🟦 (@caraathome) October 30, 2025
Ridley said the council needed more data and information before making a decision. He said the City Hall was built to last around 100 years.
Council members Zarin Gracey, Maxie Johnson and Jaime Resendez said they supported exploring options to lease, rent or buy space elsewhere, while Kathy Stewart and Gay Donnell Willis said they were also open to alternative options, though they wanted more information.
Dallas City Hall opened in 1978 and was designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. In March, the city’s landmark commission unanimously voted to begin the designation process for the building to be a landmark, further complicating the issue.
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 1500 Marilla St., in the amphitheater, .