Scope and Content

Collection consists of photocopied and printed materials, and black and white photographic prints documenting the planning and building of the Dallas City Hall.  

The bulk of the collection contains plans, photography, memoranda, and other information concerning the construction of the building, decision-making regarding interior furnishings, and interior space configuration.  

Dallas City Hall, initially called the Dallas Municipal Center, is located at 1500 Marilla Street in downtown Dallas. Planning began by order of the Dallas City Council in May 1966.

Dallas City Hall is situated on an 11.8-acre site near the center of downtown Dallas. The overall square footage is approximately one million square feet, including over 374,000 square feet of usable office space, two levels of underground parking for 1426 cars, and public space including the Council Chamber, Flag Room, and Great Court.

Planning for the Dallas Municipal Center, today known as Dallas City Hall, commenced in 1964 when the Dallas City Council appointed a Citizen's City Hall Site Committee to select an appropriate location for new municipal administration offices.  A search committee of prominent citizens settled on I.M. Pei, world-famous designer of the Louvre pyramid addition, the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, and Dallas’ Morton Meyerson Center.  Construction of the new Dallas City Hall commenced on June 26, 1972, under the direction of contractors Robert E. McKee and Pei. Pei's primary partner in the design process was Theodore Musho.

The project was completed in three phases. The City accepted the garage parking areas in November 1974, the Park Plaza in May 1976, and the building in December 1977. The cost of design and construction of the building, the Park Plaza, and the garage was over $70 million. Controversies arose over cost overruns (the original estimated cost was $42.2 million) and aesthetic issues (was the building too avant-garde?); the problems were addressed, and work moved on to completion.

Organization

Collection is organized by format and subject and series. The master set of plans is rolled and restricted due to fragile condition.  Please see archivist for copies.

Access​

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from the Dallas Municipal Archives. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

Citation

Dallas City Hall Collection, 1966-1977 (Box <x>, Folder <y>), Dallas Municipal Archives

Related Material

None

Index Terms

City halls -- Texas -- Dallas
Dallas -- Texas -- History
Dallas City Hall (Dallas, Tex.)

Container List