Renovation of Historic City Hall

Historic City Hall, built in 1892, had not undergone a major renovation since 1927, and since that time, the building had been divided into a maze of offices with low drop ceilings and little to no natural light in work spaces. The goal of the project was to renovate the building into modern offices and restore select historic spaces to their 1927 appearance.  The design team was able to return the floor plans to a more organized configuration in keeping with the historic layout.  Hallways and lobbies are now wide with high ceilings exposing the original plaster moldings that had been covered for decades.  Private offices and open work spaces both now have generous views and natural light through restored windows.  The entrance lobby and Mayor’s office were restored to their 1927 appearance including their decorative paint schemes.  Other original finishes like historic floor tile, plaster moldings and walls were uncovered and restored. 

The edict for the project was “City Hall for All.” This principle was carried through with a new accessible east entrance, open public spaces, and sweeping views of the surrounding cityscape. The design goal for this project was to – in every space – remind users that they are in a historic civic building in the heart of San Antonio.  The new accessible main entrance allows citizens of all ability levels to now access City Hall through the same front doors. 

Sustainable strategies like modern lighting and energy efficient HVAC systems blend seamlessly with the sophisticated character of this historic building.  Officials are able to view the City they serve through the restored wood windows that now include a protective UV film for improved energy efficiency. The site was improved with low impact development strategies and native landscaping along with EV charging stations incorporated into the parking area.  An education program displayed on site teaches the citizens of San Antonio about the sustainability strategies at work at City Hall. 

This project is an exemplary green project because it stands as a model for how sustainable measures can be incorporated into historic buildings.  San Antonio values its historic build stock, but it is continually threatened by tear-downs and having a high performing building like City Hall shows local citizens, politicians, developers, architects, and contractors that the greenest building, really is the one that already exists, and that the investment in sustainable strategies has a large pay-back for building owners.