According to a city news release, the permit now allows construction to begin on the new council chambers at the former Pier 1 headquarters site.
The overview
According to previous Community Impact reporting, the council chambers footprint was altered to comply with federal regulations after Tarrant Regional Water District officials informed city officials the council chambers construction site was in a federal floodway. Changes included:
- redesigning council chambers to three stories to minimize encroachment into the floodway
- making associated entry/exit changes
- making foundational and structural changes to support the new design
Diving in deeper
According to the news release, the permit process ensures the project follows federal guidelines to avoid impact on the area’s flooding. Considering the upcoming changes to the Trinity River route with a bypass channel, the project team worked closely with the Tarrant Regional Water District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure the design of the future council chambers would accommodate both the existing flood model and future alterations.
The news release went on to state that with the official issuance of the permit, the city can now move forward by issuing grading, foundation and related permits, thereby starting construction on the council chamber building and its surrounding site.
According to previous Community Impact reporting, the budget for the new city hall includes approximately $50 million in additional costs, boosting the total cost from $180 million to $230 million. The additional $50 million includes the $7.6 million noted above plus the following:
- $7.95 million for added staff
- $12.03 million for major maintenance
- $9.36 million for added scope
- $13 million due to inflation
Quote of note
Mayor Mattie Parker said the new city hall will deliver on the promise to create a welcoming and inviting space that will help transform an important area of downtown.
“The buildings will bring to life a ‘one-stop shop’ for city service experiences and a council chambers our growing city deserves,” Parker said. “A project as large and momentous as a new city hall and council chambers for the 13th largest and fastest growing city in the U.S. takes a lot of work from a large team of folks. I appreciate the commitment and coordination from the staffs at the city, Tarrant Regional Water District, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and [the] team of consultants that helped us get to where we are in this process.”
According to the news release, city officials expect to host the first council meeting in the new facility during the winter of 2024-25.
