The impetus behind the Highland Park Town Hall and Dept. of Public Safety renovation was the need to bring up to date the dispatch operation by upgrading the infrastructure, technology and equipment. To resolve these issues, the town approved major renovations and added 15,000 sq ft to the building, including a third floor and a basement for additional office space and technology upgrades. The design team restored historical elements of the original town hall, including the domed tower and the building’s Spanish Colonial design.

The center section of the building was demolished to make way for a three-story addition with a complete basement connected to the town hall as well as fire services. Other improvements included flood proofing the creek side of the basement and increasing operational and circulation efficiencies as well as the energy efficiency of the building.

Existing conditions required the team to think of creative solutions. For example, the floor-to-floor heights were 12 ft and framed with 2 x 12s, making it extremely difficult to route new conduit and ductwork. To match existing floor-to-floor heights, the new three-story addition between the two existing buildings utilized cellular beams that allowed infrastructure and structural elements to share space.

The town hall was built in 1924 and since 1930 has undergone numerous minor and six major renovations and additions, making for an extremely convoluted interior. The six different floor level changes in the building also did not meet ADA requirements, so cellular beams were utilized to minimize those changes.

Teams also had to contend with a difficult site with no staging, delivery or construction parking areas. Everything was stored off site, and staff had to be shuttled to the site.

Town of Highland Park Town Hall & DPS

Highland Park, Texas

Key Players
Owner Town of Highland Park
Lead Design Firm RPGA Design Group
General Contractor Lee Lewis Construction Inc.
Structural Engineer R.L. Woods & Associates
Civil Engineer AIM Engineering LLC
MEP Engineer Wells Doak Engineers
Consultant Architect Larry E. Boerder Architects
Public Safety Consultant McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie Inc.