Developer Ray Washburne is pushing a plan to move Dallas City Hall to his Founders Square property, a shift he says would potentially free the existing site for an arena and other large-scale downtown projects.
Washburne, one of the most vocal backers of relocating City Hall, said the proposal could clear the I.M. Pei-designed complex for a major sports and events venue, hotels and mixed-use construction, while shifting city government a few blocks west.
Washburne’s draft, reviewed by The Dallas Morning News, would place City Hall in a seven-story, 300,000-square-foot office building near the Omni Hotel and Pioneer Park, with a 25,000-square-foot council chamber in front of the historic Founders Square structure.
The broader vision shows an arena at the current City Hall site, with mixed-use development on the existing plaza, two new 1,000-room hotels and additional residential construction near the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
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Preservationists and architects have pushed back on plans that would abandon or demolish the building, saying that repairing City Hall is the most fiscally responsible option and that major redevelopment could occur on other underused downtown sites without sacrificing the building.
“Why would we abandon one historic and architecturally significant building to move and activate another one?” Sarah Crain, executive director of Preservation Dallas, told The News. “That doesn’t make great financial sense, especially one that is smaller and older.”
Old fight, new forum
That debate resurfaced Friday between Washburne and prominent architect Larry Good at a luncheon sponsored by the Dallas Friday Group, a public affairs organization.
They agreed downtown needs stronger growth, but differed on whether City Hall helps drive that or holds it back.
Washburne said as much as $10 billion in development is likely to occur around the convention center over the next five years. Redeveloping the City Hall site could generate the property and sales tax revenue Dallas needs, he said.
If the bill to fix City Hall comes in at $500 million, “who pays for it?” Washburne asked. He was referencing reports of deferred maintenance and repair costs there. “Why are we wasting the money on it?”
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Good countered that downtown’s revival does not require abandoning City Hall. He said the building needs closer to $60 million in repairs, far below city staff estimates ranging from $150 million to $345 million.
Washburne disputed that figure. He said repair costs could be far higher and the urban design around City Hall discourages walkability and street life.
Dallas, he said, lacks a defining downtown identity comparable to San Antonio’s Pearl District or Nashville’s music-centered core.
The plan’s rendering shows a midrise City Hall complex and landscaped terraces. A large, circular council chamber sits in front of the building, covered by a flat, disc-shaped canopy bearing a star seal and the words “City of Dallas, Texas.”
Downtown catalyst
Washburne told The News that moving City Hall creates a catalyst for growth downtown. Founders Square would offer a “real civic district” near the county courthouses and Dallas College campus, with pedestrians, students and government activity concentrated in one area.
The proposal was put together by Washburne’s Gillon Property Group, a private commercial real estate firm that oversees his family’s holdings and portfolio.
Last month, Dallas officials began a wide-ranging review of whether it’s financially better to repair the building versus relocating to another spot in the city.
Part of it included asking commercial property owners to send proposals showcasing how their sites fit the city’s plans.
City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert and her team are reviewing the findings. They will present the final product in a Feb. 23 finance committee meeting.
The Founders Square building was constructed in 1915. Washburne, well known for renovating the landmark Highland Park Village shopping center, bought the downtown property nearly three years ago.
The developer owns several high-profile properties in Dallas’ urban core. He bought the former Dallas Morning News headquarters in 2019. He closed a deal to buy the downtown Dallas Greyhound Station in 2024.
Washburne’s proposal
- THE PLAN: Developer Ray Washburne has proposed moving Dallas City Hall to his Founders Square property, clearing the I.M. Pei-designed complex at 1500 Marilla St. for an arena, hotels and other large-scale downtown projects while shifting city government a few blocks west.
- THE PUSHBACK: Preservationists and architects argue City Hall should be repaired, not abandoned, saying it is the most fiscally responsible option and that major downtown redevelopment could occur on other underused sites without sacrificing the landmark building.
- THE DEBATE: Supporters say redeveloping the City Hall site could generate needed tax revenue and help reshape downtown, while critics dispute high repair-cost estimates and say City Hall can remain part of downtown’s growth. The dispute resurfaced publicly Friday at a Dallas Friday Group luncheon.