Letters — What’s the future of downtown Dallas?

Congratulations, downtown (ghost town) Dallas. Within the span of 24 hours, you lost the Mavericks, the Stars and Neiman Marcus. Why not make it a four-for-four and go ahead and ship City Hall out to Plano, too? Absolutely astounding. 

Hal Harris, Dallas/Knox-Henderson 

With the Mavericks’ decision to move to the Valley View site, there will now be more emphasis on repairing City Hall itself.  

Dallas barely blinked when FIFA repainted over the Wyland whale mural, but tearing down the I.M. Pei designed City Hall seems too far for many.  

I suggest leaving the forward-facing façade that people associate with Pei’s distinctive style and blending that with an entirely new office structure behind it.  

I’ve been to City Hall, and the actual office and interior are dreary and uncomfortable. Raze that part and start anew. Get bold and make quiet rail adjustments on the new property to alleviate parking issues.  

Build an area that people might want to walk around where they could find shops and restaurants and affordable new apartments. Link it together with the convention center and the new Dallas Wings arena. All behind the symbol for Pei’s futuristic architectural vision — it was used for 1987’s RoboCop film — while enhancing the downtown core. 

In the estimated two to three years it would take to rebuild, City Hall could lease downtown vacant office property and divide certain divisions to lessen the entire footprint of City Hall offices and functions.  

This would take some bold vision. Is Dallas the kind of city that wants or deserves that? Considering that in a few decades Dallas-Fort Worth will have the highest population in the U.S., I think we need that kind of vision. 

Jim Chassen, Dallas 

Many voices in the City Hall debate bemoan that Dallas City Hall is too old and obsolete to function as a center of city government. Interestingly, our City Hall is the third newest edifice among the nation’s 10 largest cities. Only city halls in Phoenix (32 years) and San Jose (21 years) were built after our City Hall. 

Houston’s City Hall is 87 years old and San Antonio’s is 135 years old. How have all these cities, all but one larger than Dallas, been able to function with such geriatric structures as the seat of their government? 

Dallas officials would do well to contact some of their peers and find out their secrets before deciding that the only solution is to tear down our City Hall. 

Jim Campbell, Dallas 

Here’s an idea: Move Dallas City Hall to the Neiman Marcus building and turn the I.M. Pei building and plaza into a town square. The building becomes a museum and meeting place for groups and the plaza becomes a home for restaurants and shops featuring local goods, etc.  

Use the McKinney downtown square as a model. This creates good uses for two iconic Dallas spaces. 

Candace Uhlmeyer, McKinney 

The city of Dallas wants to move from the current City Hall building because expensive repairs are needed.  
 
The Dallas Mavericks have signed a deal to build a new center on the site of the old Valley View mall. The Dallas Stars announced they are going to build a new hockey arena at the site of the Willow Bend Mall in Plano. 
 
Here are my ideas. Compare the current square footage of the American Airlines Center to Dallas City Hall. Compare available parking at both places. Check access roads to the nearby highways and DART locations. And also check about local restaurants and shops. 
 
Here is my idea. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. The AAC is still a more structurally sound building in a great location downtown. Dallas City Hall needs a new building and land. The city can renovate the AAC.   

The city of Dallas can then tear down its current City Hall and sell the land. 

John K Wright V, Plano 

Re: “Arena Hopes Doomed From Start — The last-minute scramble to offer up City Hall never got public traction,” Wednesday editorial. 

The Mavericks and Stars have been playing next to downtown Dallas at the American Airlines Center since 2001. That’s long enough to breathe life into the area. Why would more years and money make any difference? Spend the money wisely to repair Dallas City Hall and develop a culture center and more. 

Jo Adams, Dallas/Turtle Creek 

The Dallas Mavericks. The Dallas Stars. AT&T. Neiman Marcus. Fifth Third/Comerica. Deloitte. Invesco. Bank of America. Goldman Sachs. 

Farewell. That sound you hear is the whooosh of downtown Dallas losing air. 

And despite best efforts by Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizer Tolbert to keep downtown Dallas intact, a weak City Council was no match for corporate power. 

This exodus from the city’s core did not happen suddenly. It’s been an issue for decades. And still, all we can do is wave goodbye. 

I don’t know what’s more appropriate to say now — Tom Bodett’s iconic Motel 6 slogan of “We’ll leave the light on for you” or the metaphorical expression, “Last one out turn off the lights”. 

Whatever, downtown Dallas is dim. 

Guy Mercurio, Dallas 

Re: “Saying ‘yes’ to a proposal or two — What if Dallas City Hall were actually the centerpiece of downtown’s future?” by Robert Wilonsky, Monday Opinion. 

Dallas has a long, painful record of destroying its greatest architecture. The Baker Hotel — once home to WFAA radio, the Peacock Terrace and the Crystal Ballroom — was imploded in 1980 for the forgettable Whiteacre Tower. That loss wasn’t an exception. It was a pattern. 

We erased the Praetorian Building, the first Texas skyscraper, now a parking lot. We demolished the Thomas Building, the Dallas Cotton Exchange, the Medical Arts Building and the Melba Theatre. Each time, developer greed won over civic vision. 

In his column, Wilonsky quotes architect Raha Talebi: “We have to change our perception of preservation.” Exactly. 

The activists planting “Save Dallas City Hall” signs misunderstand the moment. City Hall is not a stray puppy needing rescue. It is a civic masterpiece — the opus magnum of I. M. Pei, whose career peaked from the 1960s through the 1990s. 

Redevelopment must honor that legacy. Dallas cannot afford another Baker Hotel moment. 

Allen Carr Pitts, Dallas 

Maybe it’s good old days syndrome. But it’s so disappointing these days to see how disposable everything seems to be. From cars, buildings, even ink pens. At one time a good writing instrument was desirable and held on to.   

Cars were built to last. Buildings and structures were built to be revered for what seems like forever. They are works of art in some eyes.   

Maybe it’s just the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but there seems to be a quick rug to pull out from under just about anything. The Dallas hockey and basketball arena was pretty darn expensive. And now it’s going to basically be abandoned.   

I would think that the Dallas City Hall, neglected and in disrepair, was pretty expensive, too. Maybe it’s Dallas management. Personally, I really didn’t have a problem with Reunion Arena for that matter.  

Rich Rigsby, Wylie 

Re: “Flagship Neiman store to close,” Wednesday news story. 

Will the last person to leave downtown please turn off the lights? 

Rex Carpenter, East Dallas