Dallas officials have begun a wide-ranging review of what city government could look like if it ever moved out of the City Hall building at 1500 Marilla St., stressing the goal is to gather real numbers, not lock in a plan.
The group charged with researching the city’s alternatives has reached out to commercial property owners across Dallas for proposals, and they have until Thursday to offer how their sites could fit the city’s plans. The effort includes updated reviews of City Hall’s condition and early cost comparisons between renovating the downtown landmark and leasing or buying space elsewhere.
No site has been chosen, no lease negotiated, and no move has been approved. Any decision to leave City Hall and relocate about 2,000 employees, officials say, would come only after analysis and a separate City Council vote.
What the city is asking for
A request sent to commercial property owners, reviewed by The Dallas Morning News, seeks information on buildings that could accommodate city operations if leaders decide to relocate.
Political Points
The city is looking for buildings with at least 30 years of remaining life and a total of roughly 400,000 square feet of space.Officials are open to leasing or buying, including buildings that are already built, under construction or planned.Lease terms under consideration range from about seven years to multi-decade agreements.How operations could be arranged
One option under review would split city functions across multiple sites.
Public-facing functions, such as the mayor’s office and City Council chambers, could be housed separately.Back-office departments, including human resources, housing, parks, transportation and public works, could operate elsewhere.The city is also considering temporary leases for a few departments and operations. A separate look at emergency services
Draft planning documents show the city is studying whether to move 911 and 311 call centers out of City Hall entirely.
A separate facility of 115,000 to 125,000 square feet, likely outside downtown, is under consideration.The call centers currently operate from City Hall’s basement, an issue long flagged in past assessments.Who is running the study
The work is being coordinated by the city’s Economic Development Corporation, which was asked to assemble outside expertise, including:
AECOM is updating its 2018 assessment of City Hall’s condition. The EDC plans to have pro bono engineers and construction experts review and pressure-test those findings.Downtown Dallas Inc. is surveying office space available for lease or purchase across Dallas, both downtown and beyond.Corgan, working with the city’s executive management team under City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert and Assistant City Manager Donzell Gipson, is reviewing space needs for departments now housed at City Hall, the Oak Cliff Municipal Center and other city facilities.Corgan, Downtown Dallas Inc. and city leadership are jointly leading the cost-comparison analysis between renovating City Hall and relocating some or all operations.Why the city is doing this now
City leaders say they lack a clear, apples-to-apples comparison between staying and leaving.
Renovation estimates for City Hall vary widely.Office markets have shifted since the pandemic, changing both availability and cost.The city owns multiple aging facilities, making long-term planning unavoidable regardless of what happens to City Hall.What happens nextJanuary–March: Site tours and early discussions with property owners.Late February: Briefing to the City Council.Late 2026: Earliest possible contract decisions, if the council chooses to proceed.First quarter 2027: Earliest possible relocation, and only with council approval.Lamster: The 20 most significant demolitions in Dallas historyWilonsky: Oak Lawn church can keep its rainbow steps. And Dallas can hang on to its soul