The new city hall is massive. The open space of Galena Plaza will give way to a dead-end courtyard. The building flaunts the building city’s own building code.
Why does the city need so much space? It has plenty now.
Does City Council see its workforce growing that much in the future? Why does the bureaucracy have to grow exponentially faster than the population is governs? Are we that difficult to manage?
Harry Teague is right that the space this building will occupy a very important; that the details of this edifice will make a significant statement about this town to both visitors and its residents. Its position between the downtown core, the river, the John Denver Sanctuary and the adjacent residential areas is highly significant.
And though City Council has ordered city designers to open the design of the building to citizens, it plans to ratify the financing before the design of many of its basic features are not finished (landscaping, mechanical systems, energy efficiency, etc.). How can they know the final cost?
How does Community Development allow the city to commence construction when many of the details are still in the works when it denies residential and commercial permits until every last detail has been accounted for?
Does local government get a pass on its own building regulations?
A thoughtful discussion about these issues can be found in these two videos, check them out. https://vimeo.com/330087865 and https://vimeo.com/287066141
Pay attention and get involved!
Bryan McShane
Aspen