The city of Brookhaven held its final public meeting on Feb. 27 on the design of city hall, allowing residents to inquire about land use, traffic flow and the building’s budgeted $78 million price tag.
Brookhaven City Council will vote on the final design in March or April, and groundbreaking is expected in fall 2023.
The city is entering a 50-year ground lease for the 1.24-acre property, which is currently being used as long-term parking at the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA station. MARTA parking will move to the rear lot near Apple Valley Road.
The new city hall is being paid for by an overlay tax drawn from commercial properties in the Special Service District, said City Manager Christian Sigman, not the residents of Brookhaven.
Sigman said the city hopes to spur high quality development in the area.
“These types of projects are catalysts. … anchoring this particular area of the city with a high quality public building will serve this community for generations,” Sigman said.
Fewer than 30 attendees joined the virtual meeting. In response to the city’s ongoing survey, 900 participants said they want a welcoming space with public art, a sustainable building with greenspace and public accessibility.
Sizemore Group owner Bill de St. Aubin presented potential design elements for city hall. He said 62% of the building is dedicated to public spaces while 38% is for offices and “the day-to-day functions of the city.”
The glass building design is a callback to the promise of transparency in local government. It also features a tree in the center of the lobby, lots of natural daylight, a rooftop green space and an accessible, street-level entrance. A canopy at the entrance mimics the city’s logo with two rivers.