Dallas residents have delivered a clear message about the future of their landmark City Hall: repair and preserve it rather than demolish the building for redevelopment.
The city received 418 public submissions through its Open Call for Concepts process and released the results Thursday. Nearly 77 percent — 321 submissions — called for repairing or restoring the nearly 50-year-old I.M. Pei-designed building in downtown Dallas, while about 20 percent supported tearing it down to reimagine the site. The remainder were unclear or offered other ideas.
City officials launched the public input effort in early April after the City Council directed City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to explore both repair options and full redevelopment. The brutalist structure, which opened in 1978, faces significant maintenance needs. Near-term repairs are estimated at roughly $329 million, with full modernization projected to exceed $1 billion over the next 20 years.
Many preservation-focused comments emphasized modernizing the building, improving the surrounding plaza, adding green space and connecting it to broader downtown revitalization plans. Several residents described City Hall as a symbol of the city that belongs to the public and should remain standing.
A smaller group of submissions tied demolition to larger ambitions, such as creating a sports and entertainment district that could include a new arena. The Dallas Mavericks submitted a letter expressing interest in staying in Dallas and envisioning a more than 50-acre mixed-use development, but the team did not file a formal concept because ongoing talks with the city have not reached that level of detail.
City leaders say the strong public feedback will help shape next steps as they continue discussions with the Mavericks and other stakeholders about downtown’s long-term vision.
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