The Dallas Morning News reported that the project includes the addition of new conference rooms, jail sally port, storage, offices and an overflow space for council chambers.
Previously totaling 25,000 square feet, it has been expanded to nearly 46,000 square feet. A large part of the expansion is for emergency dispatch and fire and police departments. The expansion will also ease crowded offices with new meeting rooms.
City officials and architects sought to design the remodeled building in the same manner as the original building, which is similar to Virginia’s Govenor’s Palace. The council chamber’s old and new wood railings are identical, while the wood flooring matches the wood on a nearby stairway. Similar brick that was used to build the City Hall in the 1920s and 1930s has been used in the new building.
Once the renovation is complete, the University Park staff can vacate offices crammed into Fire Department dorms, overcrowded temporary quarters and a portable building that was used for municipal court proceedings and city council meetings for more than a year.
Though there is still some work pending, the new hall will open next week. The Police Department will relocate within a fortnight and subsequently emergency communications department will move.
The last main upgrade of the building happened in 1974.
