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City Hall: Assessing the structure

We touched on the move to replace our City Hall four months ago here and since then more details have been released on the state of the building.  Here are some of the key points from a presentation to the city council on Sept. 3rd.:

  • City Hall was built to the seismic standards of the time (1969) – Estimate is $10M
  • Mechanicals are beyond their useful life and parts availability is challenging (related asbestos issues estimated at $600K)
  • ADA accessibility is an issue
  • No fire sprinklers and inadequate fire alarm system
  • Lighting and electrical upgrades to current standards – estimated at $1.5M
  • The original roof is still on and being patched – replacement estimate $500K plus asbestos work

All of that is compounded by an estimated 20% growth in the space needed plus some better meeting room space although this could be handled by a satellite, leased office.  The five-year total is $16M and grows to $35M over the next decade.  The idea square footage would be between 6,000 and 14,000 ft2 larger than the current space.

Should the city choose to do the repairs and upgrades, it estimates about three years of temporary employee relocation.  That sounds like an optimistic guess to me looking at how long everything takes.  The real challenge is how to pay for either approach (fix vs. lease vs. build).  The current central location is excellent which is an intangible that is hard to value–and harder to replace.  There's no easy answer here even if one has a fix-it mindset.

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11 responses to “City Hall: Assessing the structure”

  1. Joanne

    Whatever the City decides to do they should not give up that location. They will NEVER get it back.
    San Mateo once had their city hall in their downtown and there was some talk of bringing it back to downtown. Trying to get that space back now is impossible.

  2. Cassandra

    Stay put.
    Fix it.
    More meeting space? Walk across the street to the library’s Lane Room.

  3. Timothy Hooker

    Did we get several estimates on removing asbestos I wonder. That number seems very high based on the sq footage.
    They say:
    The average cost to remove asbestos from commercial buildings typically ranges from $5 to $20 per square foot, depending on several factors. These factors include:
    Extent of contamination:
    Larger buildings or those with more widespread asbestos may cost more to clean up.
    Location of asbestos:
    Asbestos in hard-to-reach areas, such as pipes or ceilings, may increase costs.
    Local regulations: Some areas have stricter regulations for asbestos removal, which can drive up costs.
    Disposal fees: The cost of safely disposing of asbestos can vary based on location and waste management fees.
    On average, a complete asbestos abatement project for a commercial building can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on the size of the building and the extent of the asbestos contamination.
    For larger buildings or complex projects, costs can rise significantly. It’s recommended to get several quotes from licensed professionals for a more accurate estimate.

  4. Grace

    Am I the only one seeing the hypocrisy in Colson’s Opinion piece in the Daily Journal today? https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/guest_perspectives/demolition-meets-democracy/article_e6bc66d2-fadb-47c5-8940-05c565945c12.html?_gl=1*vrp3ol*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTg2OTYzNTQwLjE3NzI0NzY2Mzg.*_ga_4T2EB147B8*czE3NzI0NzY2MzckbzEkZzAkdDE3NzI0Nzg2MTQkajYwJGwwJGgw

  5. Cathy Baylock

    I am grateful Donna Colson has written this op-ed advocating for transparency and public input regarding the design for the new White House ballroom. Contrarily, The City of Burlingame is to be commended for initiating a process to assess the historic significance of our existing City Hall, something the Trump administration did not do before demolishing the east wing. Hopefully, the Capital Planning board will rectify this at their meeting March 5th. All we ask is that an appropriate project is approved that respects the White House including elements of its size and architecture. Thank you to the National Trust and Donna’s leadership on this board for holding the administration accountable. It’s not too late to alter the project as currently conceived that will not diminish the White House, the international symbol of our country’s government.

  6. Jennifer Pfaff

    Agree completely. Many thanks to Donna on both counts.

  7. Grace

    Questions:
    1. What is the name of the company doing the historic review?

    2. Is it the same company that did the assessment on whether City Hall could be saved?

  8. Jennifer Pfaff

    The company (architectural historians) assessing the 1970 City Hall for historical significance is named ESA. I do not know the name of the other company that was involved in the presentation about options for the site, several months ago, though I do not think they are the same.

  9. Grace

    Thank you Jennifer, but I meant who did the assessment that City Hall should be torn down? I’d be interested in seeing the metrics used to come to that conclusion.

  10. Timothy Hooker

    Look, I don’t want to bore you with all that political kind of crap, but if you really want to hear about it, the whole thing is just so “vivid”, you know?

    You’ve got these previous democratic Presidents—real “big-men-on-campus” types—and they’re in the White House just acting like absolute phonies. They’re busy messing around with interns and snorting enough cocaine to make a whole room go fuzzy. It’s depressing, it really is. It’s the kind of thing that makes you want to leave the room the minute they start talking.

    But then there’s Trump. He’s not just sitting around like some big-shot intellectual who doesn’t know a goddamned thing. He’s actually busy making the White House look like something worth looking at. He’s got this design expertise, see? He’s spent his whole life putting together these incredibly beautiful places—hotels and whatnot that actually have some style to them. I guess that helps, I really do. It’s not just some dingy, bureaucratic building anymore; it’s got a bit of “it” to it. It’s nice, in a way. It really is. Something special for our future generations.

  11. Joe

    Here’s the announcement about move in day:

    New City Hall to Open October 27, 2026

    The City of Burlingame is excited to announce that construction of the new City Hall at 1440 Chapin Avenue is now complete, and the new City Hall will be ready to welcome the public on Tuesday, October 27.

    In order to get the new City Hall up and running, the City will need to move many large items from the old City Hall to the new City Hall. Accordingly, the old City Hall will be closed to the public starting at noon on Thursday, October 22. The new City Hall will open to the public for regular business hours on Tuesday, October 27. While the physical City Hall may be closed during this window, staff will still be available to answer any questions and assist residents via email and telephone, although responses may be delayed.

    The City cannot wait to welcome you to the new City Hall, where it will be easier to meet City staff at better-equipped service counters.

    Visiting the New City Hall

    Visitors can access the new City Hall from Chapin Avenue. Parking is available in the rear of the building, in the ground floor parking lot. Please do not enter the parking garage.

    Visitors can enter the building directly from the parking lot, or from the front of the building. Once in the lobby area, please proceed to the elevator bank and take either elevator to the third floor. All City offices are on the third floor of the building.

    In order to visit the Public Works Department, Finance Department, or Community Development Department, you will turn right once you exit the elevator. To visit the City Manager’s Office, City Clerk’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, or Human Resources Department, you will turn left out of the elevators. While permanent wayfinding signage will be installed in several weeks, temporary signage will be available from the first day the new City Hall is in operation.

    Next Steps

    While the new City Hall will be ready to serve the public on day one, the City will continue to expand its footprint within the building over time and will continue to improve the existing office space.

    On the first floor of 1440 Chapin, the City will design and construct a new Council Chambers, giving residents a beautiful new space to attend public meetings and interact with the City Council, Planning Commission, and Traffic, Safety, and Parking Commission (TSPC). While there is no current construction timeline for the Council Chambers, the City is working diligently to ensure the project progresses as quickly as possible. Through the end of 2026, City Council meetings will continue to take place at the old City Hall. Then, City Council, Planning Commission, and TSPC meetings will transition to the Maple Room on the second floor of the Community Center until the new Council Chambers are ready.

    On the third floor of 1440 Chapin, the City will soon install permanent and detailed wayfinding signage to allow residents to quickly locate all departments. Additionally, the City is exploring electronic kiosks to allow residents to easily check in for visits to the City’s service counters, find answer to questions, complete tasks like paying water bills or applying for certain permits, and get in touch with the correct staff member(s).

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