A completely new city hall may be in Prairie Village’s future.
The city council last week unanimously directed city staff to start the process to design and eventually build a completely new city hall facility, capping the cost for the still-nascent project at $30 million.
The move means multiple conceptual designs for a new city hall will come before the city council in the not-too-distant future.
There are several issues with the current city hall facility
- The current city hall at 7700 Mission Road is overcrowded and set up in a way that hinders city staff operations, City Engineer Melissa Prenger said during the July 17 city council meeting.
- There are also structural issues with the facility, including plumbing that “has reached its life expectancy,” according to city documents, as well as other aspects of the building not up to current code.
- The Prairie Village Police Department headquarters in an adjoining building to city hall does not need a full renovation, Prenger said, but could use more space freed up if the current city hall is vacated for a new building.
Early designs peg cost at more than $30M
- Designs featured in city documents last week show a $31 million, two-story building that would be located south of the current city hall.
- That initial concept features a 2,800-square-foot city council chambers, a multipurpose room and an option for an eco-friendly roof where people could gather.
- Prenger told the city council that new construction “will be held to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum” standards.
- There is also an option to add a “phase B” with new construction, which for an additional $4 million would create a new central entrance, park lawn and plaza area.
- The city’s finance committee has recommended approval of going forward with building a new city hall but trying to cut costs down to $30 million or less.
The city council favors new construction over renovations
- Prenger said building a new city hall would create enough space for current employees and also allow room for future staff growth, including in the city’s finance and information technology departments.
- If the city were to opt for renovating the current building, there would be no room to expand for future staffing needs, plus a renovation may create “operational issues” during the actual construction work, Prenger said.
- Renovating city hall — and not building a new one — would also limit how much the police department could expand.
- The city council unanimously approved the recommendation to look at new construction rather than either of two renovation options that had also been previously considered.
- Councilmembers Bonnie Limbird, Piper Reimer and Terrence Gallagher were absent.
More changes are being discussed for Prairie Village’s civic campus
- The city council last week also took the next step toward design work for what a new city-owned community center could look like at the civic campus, which is the block that houses city hall, the current Paul Henson YMCA, Shawnee Mission East and Harmon Park.
- A new community center would replace the deteriorating YMCA.
- Cost estimates for a new community center are uncertain, though city staff previously told the Post the $36 million Merriam Community Center is comparable to the vision for a new one in Prairie Village.
- The city’s 2024 proposed budget includes debt service for city hall to cost between approximately $20 to $25 million, according to city documents.
What’s next:
- City staff plans to bring forward a design agreement with architects for council consideration, Prenger said.
- Prenger said this action will lead to multiple conceptual designs for a new city hall building.
Go deeper: Prairie Village City Hall to undergo first major renovation in quarter century
