The Dallas City Council has voted to explore relocating and selling the brutalist City Hall designed by architect IM Pei, putting the building increasingly at risk of demolition.
Earlier this month, the Dallas City Council voted to review the 1970s building's status as a seat of government.
The city manager was tasked with determining the costs of moving the town hall, repairing the building and examining the economic possibilities of site exploration. They will present their findings to the council in February next year.
“The Future of Dallas City Hall Remains Uncertain”
The vote follows news published in mid-October that the landmark building was in danger, which the conservation group said was a “big surprise” to the architectural community Docomomo US.
The organization expressed concerns about the future of the building and the speed at which plans are being developed, saying the city's focus appears to be on “maximum economic development.”
“The future of Dallas City Hall remains uncertain as Dallas City Council members discuss options for its future,” Docomomo US said in a statement after the latest vote. “The focus seems to be on maximizing the economic development of the site rather than preserving the town hall.”
“Many of the public’s concerns have gone unanswered by the city,” the organization continued. “Why is the process moving so quickly and where is the public’s participation in this process?”
The Dallas City Hall is located in the center of the city in front of a spacious square. Designed by Pei in 1978, the concrete building is shaped like an inverted pyramid, with each of its seven floors growing about 9 feet (2.7 meters) wider as you ascend.
In addition to Docomomo US, organizations such as AIA Dallas, Preservation Dallas, Preservation Texas and North Texas Chapter of Docomomo contribute to the preservation efforts.
Following the initial news, a petition “to save Dallas City Hall” was launched, which had 4,600 signatures at the time of writing.
“The building has some serious problems”
According to CBS News, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said he was familiar with the condition of the building because he works in it every day.
Citing the flooding problems, the mayor estimated repairs would cost up to $600 million over the next decade, although other reports estimate $350 million.
“The building has some serious problems, and if these numbers are correct, we really need to think about it,” Johnson told CBS.
“We cannot rule out the possibility of moving from the town hall simply because a famous architect designed the building.”
Local news organization Axios Dallas recently reported that if the Pei Building is removed or sold, the city's offices would move to existing downtown high-rises.
HVAC systems and leaky plumbing are some of the building's problems, as well as the fact that it is not ADA compliant, the release said.
Several projects in the US have faced controversy over their preservation in recent years, such as an “unusual” fountain in San Francisco and a skyscraper by Frank Lloyd Wright. After a similar back and forth, Boston renovated its city hall in 2019.