Work to begin on Fort Worth’s new city council chamber after plans clear Army Corps hurdle
Work can begin on Fort Worth’s new city council chamber after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined the construction wouldn’t negatively affect a federal floodway.
The city held a ground breaking ceremony for the council chamber in September 2022, but had to pause after a survey error failed to account for the floodway.
This triggered an additional permitting process, which cost the city $8 million. The city council approved hiring an outside law firm in April to advise on legal option against the survey company.
A floodway is a “natural conduit for flood waters,” according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They are required to be open so water can pass during a flood.
The approval allows the city to begin grading and foundation work. The council’s first meeting in the new chamber is expected in the winter of 2024-2025, according to a city press release.
The new city hall will create a welcoming and inviting space that will transform an important area of downtown, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said in a city press release.
“The buildings will bring to life a ‘One-Stop-Shop’ for City service experiences and a Council Chambers our growing city deserves,” she said in the release.
Fort Worth bought the Pier 1 tower in February 2021 and plans to consolidate 23 city departments into one building. It originally budgeted $100 million to buy and refurbish the building, but a changing scope and inflation have increased that cost to $230 million.
The first city departments are expected to move into the new city hall later this year.
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