The new Richardson City Hall project has an updated budget, along with plans to demolish the old structure damaged by an August 2022 fire, according to city officials.

Richardson City Council received an update on the potential $91 million budget for the reconstruction of City Hall in the municipal complex during the Feb. 5 meeting.

The overview

The new budget estimate factors in additional revenue totaling $6 million from insurance proceeds and a tenant improvement allowance at the temporary City Hall, Director of Engineering and Capital Projects Jim Dulac said. The previous budget for the project was $85 million, according to city documents.

Dulac said potential additions to the project have increased the budget.

• Increase from 96,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet
• A stepped-architecture design of the building
• Sustainability features, such as water harvesting and solar panels
• Building materials, such as stone and glass

City Manager Don Magner said the city could pursue grants to cover some of the sustainability additions to the building, which could reduce the city’s expenditure on the new City Hall.

Zooming in

Based on council feedback from a briefing last August, changes to the concept plan include:

• Greater preservation of the existing Leadership Grove
• Addition of bollards to expand a potential pedestrian area connected to the main plaza
• A third entrance to the municipal campus off of Belle Grove Drive
• Preservation of the existing wildflower field
• Shaded area away from City Hall for electioneering activities

“I’m really excited about the design, all the features, and the roof spaces and plant life around it,” council member Joe Corcoran said.

What’s next?

Dulac said demolition of the old City Hall building could begin in May. The estimated completion of the new City Hall is 2027.

“We have worked really hard to remain on schedule with this project,” Dulac said. “We do expect construction ... to begin in the later part of this year.”