A coalition of preservationists has given the City of Dallas 60 days to fix long-standing maintenance problems at City Hall or face a lawsuit.
Lawyers for the Save Dallas City Hall Coalition sent formal notice on or before May 13, 2026, citing violations of city code that require proper building maintenance and historic preservation. The landmark at 1500 Marilla Street, designed by famed architect I.M. Pei in the 1970s, has suffered years of water intrusion, waterproofing failures and deferred upkeep on emergency generators and electrical systems, according to a city-commissioned property condition assessment.
The coalition, represented by attorney and spokesperson Chris Bowers, demands the city immediately comply with its own ordinances to protect the building’s structural integrity and its role as a distinctive part of the downtown skyline. Bowers stated that the city cannot exempt itself from the same historic-preservation rules it enforces on private owners, calling the situation fiscal mismanagement after millions in available federal ARPA funds went unspent.
Dallas City Hall
A coalition of preservationists has given the City of Dallas 60 days to fix long-standing maintenance problems at City Hall or face a lawsuit.
Getty ImagesCity Hall has been under consideration for historic landmark status by the Dallas Landmark Commission since 2025, triggering a predesignation moratorium. The coalition argues the city’s inaction risks further deterioration of the eight-story inverted pyramid structure. Officials have confirmed receipt of the notice but offered no comment. A council briefing on repairs and possible redevelopment is expected in coming weeks.
The notice references $7.6 million in ARPA money originally set aside for generator replacements that ballooned in cost to $17 million, plus nearly $18 million in other unused federal funds that could be returned to the government by September 30, 2026, if not spent. Supporters say fixing the building preserves taxpayer investment and downtown identity ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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