Officials mull City Hall, Civic Center Park improvements

By Cameron Montemayor

City Hall and Civic Center Park could be in line for renovations in the coming years after city leaders discussed dual-project proposals Monday evening.  

City Hall is set to turn 100 years old in 2027. With its centennial on the horizon, city leaders and elected officials gathered for a work session Monday to review options for potentially improving the historic building and its adjacent park in line with the celebration.  

Council members were receptive to the proposals but took no action on pursuing either until more cost estimates and project information is determined. 

“We knew that there were some holes that needed to be filled. But quite honestly, we really wanted to get an initial reaction from the city council on whether or not they even wanted to pursue it,” said Mary Robertson, communications and community engagement director. 

The cost of both plans will hang on the council’s decision to either remove or replace the large plaster wall and stairwell that faces west at Civic Center Park, called a balustrade. The park balustrade was constructed back in 1940 and has deteriorated significantly. 

Option one, which includes replacing the park wall — a $3.3 million project — would be roughly $1.6 million more expensive than option two. Option two would be to remove the wall entirely and construct a new stairwell only. If the park balustrade is removed, the grass slop where the wall is located would likely have to be graded to minimize the incline. Some trees would also have to be removed. 

“With something that is going to last 100 years, we just want to get it right,” Councilman Marty Novak said.

“I like the idea of it, but there’s so many things we don’t know,” Councilman Madison Davis said.

If council members pursue option two, cost savings would open the door for the city to use the money to fully replace the City Hall building balustrade instead of just repairing it. City Hall’s building balustrade — made of limestone — is a separate structure from the Civic Center Park balustrade. 

Replacing the park balustrade would put the project over budget by nearly $615,000, while option two would free up nearly $900,000 for more extensive improvements to the city hall building balustrade. 

Projects would be funded by a combination of Capital Improvements Program and American Rescue Plan Act funds. $1.5 million for the project will come from the CIP fund. 

The dual-projects for City Hall and Civic Center Park would include a variety of additional improvements, including resurfacing of the City Hall parking lot and repairs to Civic Center Park’s fountain and sidewalks. 

Additional work sessions are expected to be held before city leaders make any decision to pursue the projects. 

“Staff will go back to the drawing table and we made a list of the questions that city council had and we’ll present those back to them again in another work session,” Robertson said.