A new consultant’s report lays out the price of repairing Dallas City Hall and sharpens the debate over its future. Here are the questions now driving what happens next.
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How much would it cost to fix City Hall?
Consultants estimate roughly $329 million for urgent repairs and between about $900 million and $1.1 billion to fully modernize the building, including financing over 20 years. The wide range reflects differing scopes of work and borrowing assumptions.
Does the specialists’ report recommend relocation?
The report found that leasing, buying or building a new facility could offer more flexibility than repairing the 47-year-old City Hall, but it did not recommend whether the city should stay or pursue another option.
What would it cost to move?
Relocation costs have not been fully detailed, but alternatives under discussion include leasing space or constructing a new facility, options that would carry their own financing and operating expenses. The report found acquisition, through leasing or purchasing, to be the least costly option when compared to renovation or new construction.
Political Points
A man wears a “Save Dallas City Hall” button during a Dallas City Council Committee on Finance special called meeting at Dallas City Hall, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
What happens if the city delays?
Aging systems, including the roof, electrical and plumbing infrastructure, would continue to deteriorate, potentially increasing long-term costs and prolonging uncertainty around the building’s future.
What do business interests want for the site?
Some business leaders have argued the prime downtown land could be freed for redevelopment, potentially reshaping the city’s core and unlocking private investment if City Hall relocates.
What do supporters argue?
They say the I.M. Pei landmark is worth preserving, even at a high cost, to protect Dallas’ civic identity and keep its government anchored downtown.
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What comes next?
Dallas City Council’s Economic Development Committee will meet March 2 to take public comments. The full City Council will be briefed March 4.
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