By Tony Cantú
Contributing Writer

Alamo Heights residents got their first peek at the breadth of work involved for the updated and long-contemplated municipal headquarters: a complete reconstruction of the existing City Hall and fire department at a price tag that will likely exceed $9 million.

Public Works Director Shawn Eddy gave the first formal presentation on the scope of the envisioned work during the April 28 City Council meeting. His presentation comes on the heels of input from officials at Freese & Nichols Inc. and STC Environmental Services Inc., the advisors who assessed the existing municipal layout and determined the needed upgrades.

The verdict was that the circa-1927 Alamo Heights City Hall and police Department, along with the fire station should, built in 1952, be demolished and replaced with newer structures at an estimated cost of $9.42 million.

While expressing preference for rebuilding, Eddy also outlined a second renovation option costing at least $7.85 million. He also noted the cost of that particular option is fluid, given the unpredictability of piecemeal enhancements that might arise under such a renovation.

Freese & Nichols’ architectural director Bill Petrelli concurred, noting parking lot construction would remain the same regardless of the option selected.

“We would recommend new construction rather than renovation,” Petrelli said. “For your on-site parking – whether you renovate or do demolition – for your requirements, you would need 1.9 acres of surface parking.”

Freese & Nichols currently serve as project manager for the city’s ongoing capital improvements project being financed through $7.5 million worth of certificate of obligation issued in September. The issuance of that debt – primarily to finance road and sewer repair but also to replace a water tower and fire engine – represented the first time in 60 years the city had issued debt. Prior to that, the first debt issue for Alamo Heights was in 1946, when a municipal swimming pool was built.

Eddy noted the latest identified needs also would require public debt issuance, either through certificates of obligation (COs) or general obligation bonds. Both are popular financial instruments used by municipalities for public enhancements, differing in one respect in that COs do not require voter approval while bonds do. Also, bonds generally allow more flexibility in transferring raised proceeds as municipal needs are identified, whereas COs are strictly regulated in usage for specifically identified projects.

Early in their sales pitch to the public last summer for the $7.5 million in COs later issued, city officials noted another chunk of at least that much would be needed for Phase II of the capital improvements project. But at least one council member has already expressed preference for bonds to finance new construction.

“I’m generally leaning towards going with bonds,” said Councilman Bill Kiel. “They’re not as constrained as to how you use that money.”

Currently, city quarters occupy a 2.34-acre campus anchored by the 4,400-square-foot City Hall and 4,870-square-foot fire station, Eddy explained. The cramped council chambers take up another 1,915 square feet, and the city also has property at 213 and 217 Henderson used for municipal purposes, he added.

Per Eddy’s presentation, required dimensions would differ significantly to accommodate current needs: 12,025 square feet of space needed for a City Hall/police department structure and another 13,624 square feet for the fire department.

Demolition versus renovation aside, the city will before need to erect a temporary bay to house a new fire engine – an $875,000 state-of-the-art fire truck expected to be delivered by August – purchased through the earlier debt proceeds. Eddy said current fire station dimensions would not accommodate the extra length of the new fire engine.

Council took no action on the matter, as plans are preliminary and much more discussion is needed. But Kiel put the space requirements into perspective, citing a similar discussion on future needs done in 1965 to note how long updated digs have been contemplated.

“Those recommendations made than are exactly the same being made now,” Kiel said. “It’s amazing, more than 40 years ago.”