New City Hall - Phase I

CIP 840-607-3009

Summary

This first phase of the Project provided architectural and planning programmatic information to establish facility size and budget. Also included was project phasing and schedule, analysis of which Departments will be housed within the building, environmental site assessment and financial analysis. The Project Definition package (Phase II) will go to the Council only if it decides to build a new building.

Status

The City staff has been working with a downtown business group to make a business case for a New City Hall. Four options were studied: lease space, City build, private build, and purchase of existing building. The City staff and the business group shared information regarding the cost of each option. A draft report was presented to the Council Downtown Subcommittee on July 18, 1995. The report recommended purchase of an existing building as the most economical option, followed (in order) by aggressive leasing, private build and City build. The Subcommittee asked for more time to study the report, to discuss at the August meeting. A final report of The Business Case with Respect to a New City Hall was completed and mailed to the Mayor and Council Members on August 25.

The downtown business group presented the final report at a City Council Work Session in December, 1995. Four options (lease space, purchase of an existing building, City build and private build) were discussed.

Issues

A Downtown Development report was given to a City Council Work Session on January 5, 1994. The report gave an overview of the activity within the City's downtown including the New City Hall, Downtown Museums and mall proposals. The recommendation was made that the City should take pro-active role in the development of downtown and that the City should maximize it's investment potential. Toward this end, several analyses and studies should be conducted which look at the impact of the separate issues on the overall downtown development. One of the contributing elements to this overview which should be investigated is the New City Hall Project.

Description

The City of Austin currently leases over 250,000 square feet of downtown office space with an annual expenditure in excess of $2,000,000. By the end of 1998, many of the current leases will be re-negotiated. It is projected that the City will spend approximately $4,000,000 for the same space.

Basic Data

  • Project Contact: David G. Gerard, Department of Public Works and Transportation, 499-7022
  • Project Manager: Kalpana Sutaria, Department of Public Works and Transportation, 499-7225
  • Amount Appropriated: $227,500
  • Completion Date (Phase I): February 1995

    Revised Jan. 9, 1996
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