New $35M city hall approved, to be built by 2017

Windsor will be getting a new city hall.

City council voted 10-1 in favour of proceeding with the nearly $35-million project.

The first step is to search for an architectural firm to design the building.

Council heard the cost of renovating the current city hall would be somewhere between $24 million and $32 million.

Mayor Eddie Francis said the current building is an old building with "many challenges:"

"Chances are we will have to relocate city hall until the new hall is built," Francis said. "There has to be temporary measures put into place."

Council has already set aside the money for the project.

Coun. Fulvio Valentinis said a new city hall is long overdue:

"Our entrance is an embarrassment, the building is," Valentinis said.

Coun. Irek Kusmierczyk was the only one to vote against proceeding with plans for a new city hall. He was seeking a delay.

Kusmierczyk is concerned about the future of Chrysler's Windsor Assembly Plant.

He supports a new city hall. He wants to know what's in store for the local economy if Chrysler doesn't invest more money in the operation.

A new city hall is expected to be built by 2017.

Coun. Hilary Payne said it's time for a new city hall.

Payne was the city manager in 1985 and recommended a new city hall then.

There was no desire to move on the project at the time:

"It was getting bad in 1985 and it's a lot worse in 2014," Payne said.

He called the approval of a new city hall "a very good decision."

Coun. Drew Dilkens wants to know if the new city hall should have underground parking. He has asked the administration to prepare a business case on the possibility.

"We know parking is a revenue generator. There's a cost to build the space. What is the break-even point and does it make sense?" Dilkens said. "If we have a report, council can consider that before construction begins."