Future of IM Pei-designed Dallas City Hall "remains uncertain"

The Dallas city government has voted to explore relocating and selling the brutalist city hall designed by architect IM Pei, placing the building under increased threat of demolition.

Earlier this month, Dallas City Council voted to review the status of the 1970s building as the government's home.

The city manager was tasked with determining the costs of relocating city hall, as well as repairing the building and exploring the economic opportunity of exploring the site. They will report their finding to the council in February next year.

"Future of the Dallas City Hall remains uncertain"

The vote follows news published in mid-October that the distinctive building was under threat, which came as a "big surprise" to the architecture community, according to conservation group Docomomo US.

The organisation raised concerns about the building's future and the speed that plans are developing, stating that city's focus appears to be on "maximum economic development".

"The future of the Dallas City Hall remains uncertain as Dallas City Council members discuss options for its future," said Docomomo US in a statement issued after the latest vote. "The focus seems to be on maximum economic development of the site rather than keeping city hall."

"Many concerns of the public have gone unanswered by the city," the organisation continued. "Why is the process moving so fast and where is the public involvement in this process?"

Dallas City Hall is located at the centre of the city and sits in front of an expansive plaza. Designed by Pei in 1978, the concrete building takes the form of an inverted pyramid, with each of its seven storeys growing about nine feet wider (2.7 metres) as it ascends.

Along with Docomomo US, organisations such AIA Dallas, Preservation Dallas, Preservation Texas and North Texas chapter of Docomomo are contributing to the preservation effort.

Following the initial news, a petition was launched "to save Dallas City Hall", which has received 4,600 signatories at the time of writing.

"The building has some serious issues"

According to CBS News, Dallas mayor Eric Johnson said he's familiar with the state of the building, as he works it in every day.

The mayor has referenced its flooding issues, and estimated that repairs would cost up to $600 million over the next decade, although other reports estimate $350 million.

"The building has some serious issues, and if those numbers are correct, that's something we really have to think about," Johnson told CBS.

"We can't just take off the table the possibility of moving from City Hall because a famous architect designed the building."

Local news organisation Axios Dallas recently reported that city offices would move to the existing high-rise towers in the city's downtown if the Pei building is removed or sold.

HVAC systems and leaky plumbing are some of the issues with the building, as well as the fact that it is not ADA-compliant, according to the publication.

Several projects throughout the US have faced controversy around their preservation in recent years, such as an "unusual" fountain in San Francisco and a Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper. Boston renovated its City Hall in 2019, following a similar back-and-forth.

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