Dallas City Hall
The Save Dallas City Hall Coalition has filed a lawsuit against the City of Dallas and several city officials, seeking to force repairs and preservation efforts at Dallas City hall.
The lawsuit, filed Aug. 12 in Dallas County District Court, names the City of Dallas, Mayor Eric Johnson, City Council members, City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert and other municipal officials as defendants.
The coalition is asking the court to issue orders requiring the city to address what it describes as the “demolition by neglect” of the historic building, designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei.
The lawsuit comes after it sent the city a 60-day notice of claim in May under Chapter XXV of the Dallas City Charter, followed by a formal request for a demolition-by-neglect investigation on July 22.
According to the coalition, Dallas Historic Preservation Officer Marcus Watson acknowledged the request on Aug. 5, but referred future communications to the City Attorney’s Office. The coalition alleges that the city has not scheduled the meetings, inspections or reports required under the city code.
“Our Coalition refuses to sit idle while city officials ignore the public and delay mandated action until the historic predesignation moratorium expires,” Bruce Richardson, president of the Save Dallas Coalition, said in a statement.
The lawsuit also comes after Dallas City Council voted 9-6 on June 10 to halt the repairs to City Hall and directed the city manager to explore moving city operations out of the building.
The coalition alleges that city officials have been evaluating the City Hall property for redevelopment, including a potential Dallas Mavericks basketball arena and entertainment district.
The group also says those discussions are connected to the city’s decision to stop repairing the building.
The coalition argues that City Hall should continue to be maintained regardless of whether the city ultimately relocates its operations.
“This is a clear-cut case of the City trying to evade its mandatory duties through bureaucratic delay,” Chris Bower, an attorney for the coalition, said in a recent statement. “‘City officials’ continued nonperformance is not just neglect — it is a breach of fiduciary duty and a direct violation of Dallas law.”
The Save Dallas City Hall Coalition is asking the court to order city officials to make repairs necessary to stabilize City Hall and properly maintain its emergency generators.
The coalition is also seeking an extension of the building’s predesignation moratorium. It wants the moratorium extended by the number of months it alleges the city delayed completing the required historic designation report.
The lawsuit does not mean the coalition’s allegations have been proven. The case will now proceed through the court system, where the city and other defendants will have an opportunity to respond.
The City of Dallas declined to comment.
