DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Staff briefing regarding the historic renovation of City Hall including an additional proposed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible entrance.
SUMMARY:
Transportation & Capital Improvements Department (TCI) will provide City Council a briefing regarding the historic renovation of City Hall including the proposed additional ADA accessibility project at the east entrance.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Nearly three years ago in early 2014, the City began discussions on a Comprehensive Development Agreement with Weston Urban LLC/Frost Bank on a transaction for a new Frost Bank Tower, and on June 4, 2015 City Council approved the agreement. This public/private partnership (P3) provided for, among other improvements, the City's acquisition of the current downtown Frost Bank tower building that will serve as a consolidated administrative building for the City. During this P3 process, renovation policy options for both the current Frost Bank tower and City Hall were discussed. Financial capacity for the renovations was included within the City's debt management plan. Last month, the City Hall renovation project was included in the Transportation & Capital Improvements (TCI) FY 2018 Budget presentation to City Council.
City Hall is over 125 years old. The 52,000 square foot facility was constructed in 1889. Over the years, there have been minor renovations and some system maintenance. However, the building continues to experience significant problems with the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and sewer systems, flooding in the lower levels, and has extensive exterior issues including an aging and crumbling facade and deteriorating window casings. Some ongoing examples, earlier this year, a fourth-floor window pane fell out of its casing and a piece of the building's cornice facade fell off the building.
Due to ...
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