A financial evaluation out today finds building a new San Diego City Hall could cost the city less than maintaining the current building. But KPBS reporter Katie Orr explains the savings would be a long way off.
Consulting firm Jones Lang LaSalle analyzed several proposals for a new City Hall. It compared those proposals with the cost of making improvements on the current building. The analysis found constructing a new City Hall will cost the city more in the first ten years, but will end up saving money after that. Bob Hunt is with the consulting firm. He compares the current building to an old car.
“You forget to put oil in it. You’re down to one quart. You’re red lining it down the freeway. Eventually, your car’s gonna blow. But we don’t know if it’s going to happen in 1 miles, 20 miles, 150 miles, other than the further you drive the closer that point gets,” he says.
The study finds upgrading City Hall would cost San Diego about $750 million over 50 years. Building a new complex would cost about $570 million over the same time period.
Katie Orr, KPBS News.
