Marble Falls council sees City Hall designs
Randall Scott, CEO of Richardson-based Randall Scott Architects, presented two different City Hall designs to the Marble Falls City Council during a June 21 workshop meeting. Staff photos by Nathan Bush
Marble Falls might expand its search for a new City Hall site after Randall Scott Architects representatives presented designs for a future facility during a workshop Tuesday, June 21.
“We talked initially about only two (possible sites), but I think we may need to expand that to more,” City Manager Mike Hodge said.
Randall Scott, CEO of a Richardson-based architecture firm, discussed his staff’s work and the City Council’s vision for a new Marble Falls City Hall. City staff and the community have outgrown the current facility at 800 Third St.
“We’re in the situation now where we practically have people working out of closets,” Mayor Richard Westerman said. “Over the next decade, our staff is going to grow. There is no place to put them right now. We are literally busting at the seams.”
Before the workshop, Hodge shared two possible locations with the architecture firm.
The first is the Old Public Works Garden, located at Avenue J and Third Street. It is within the flood plain but has ample room for hike-and-bike trails. During the meeting, Scott alluded to Hodge’s hope to include the trails in the new City Hall design.
The second possible site is on Main Street behind Lake Shores Church. This location has very little room for trails.
After seeing preliminary designs for those two locations, Hodge noted the city might reopen its search for a new plot for the project.
Wherever the new City Hall is built, council members wanted to ensure it reflects the city.
Councilor Dee Haddock mentioned how he would like the building to be respectful of the history and heritage of Marble Falls. Scott assured Haddock that each town’s personal history is at the forefront of every design his firm completes.
“One of the important things for us is what we call the city’s DNA,” Scott said. “We spend a lot of time immersing ourselves in the cities that we work in understanding who they are, what their culture is, what their history is, and what their DNA is.”
Hodge told councilors during the workshop that city staff could have a design contract before them as early as the Tuesday, July 5, regular council meeting.