10 years ago, in 1995, former Mayor Nancy Graham and her administration determined the city had outgrown the existing City Hall and order a renovation. More than $1 million was spent on plans.

Former Mayor Joel Daves, elected in 1999, ordered the process stopped and directed staff to propose alternatives to City Hall renovation.

15 different sites for city hall were proposed and considered under the Graham and Daves administrations.

In 2003, Mayor Lois Frankel is elected to office and determines that the Clematis Street business district is failing due to competition from City Place and the disruption of FDOT road construction downtown. Mayor Frankel, with the support of then Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Nancy Graham, request the Urban Land Institute to analyze whether the city hall and library should be renovated or moved, and, if so, what is the best location? The Urban Land Institute is a world renowned think tank comprised of experts in real estate, retailing, economic development and urban planning.

More than 100 stakeholders, including consultants, developers, retailers and economists are interviewed as part of the ULI’s extensive public participation process.

June 2003 -- The Urban Land Institute recommends relocating the library to activate the waterfront and suggests in its place a waterfront park, pier and open space. It also concludes that combining both a new city hall and a new library could be a viable alternative for the city.

November 2003 -- the City Commission votes unanimously to build a new City Hall and the Library on the now vacant D&D site (formerly Burdines) at Clematis Street and Dixie Hwy.

November 2003 -- The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency assembles property purchases for the entire block of the D&D site (300 block of Clematis on the north side to Banyan) at a cost of $15.5 million.

February 2004 -- City issues requests for proposals to build a mixed-use project to include: City Hall, the Library, the Photographic Museum, and commercial, retail and/or residential space.

A public charette, or public forum, was held in November 2004, regarding what needs should be met through the design of the new City Center. The overwhelming majority of the 400 participants (90%) stated they did not want any private interests in the City Center project. Therefore, the private development component of the City Center was dropped from the plan.

Summer – Fall 2005: Both the City Center and the Waterfront Commons projects are in the design and cost estimation phases.

The Photographic Center/Museum will have an estimated annual economic impact of $55 million.

Funding for the city hall, library and photographic center and waterfront commons is drawn from numerous sources:

o The Library and Waterfront Commons will be paid for by the West Palm Beach CRA through the sale of public properties, tax revenues, tax increment financing and the issuance of tax revenue bonds.

o The new city hall will “pay for itself” through:
o Sale of the existing city hall site for $15 - $25 million
o Sale of 45th Street property now housing city departments for $1.5 million
o Savings from the termination of leases for other city departments to total $1.5 million
o Savings in staff efficiencies realized through new city hall estimated at $4.4 million
o $40 million in 2006 city budget ($13.5 million cash on hand, $26.5 million in bond proceeds on which debt service is fully paid.
o Tax Increment Financing accrued from future development on existing city hall site is $42 - $82 million.


After 10 years of consideration, the city is now moving forward with exciting plans for a new city hall, public library and photographic center/museum in the heart of the City’s downtown to serve its citizens well for generations to come.