South: Tour - City Hall LEED Retrofit

A remarkable historic masterpiece situated in the heart of downtown San Antonio, the City Hall building represents the heart of San Antonio’s political system.  Built in 1891 (top photo), City Hall was designed by Otto Kramer, an architect acclaimed for his work in New York, Chicago and St. Louis. It first underwent renovation in 1927 - revamping the building style from Romanesque Revival to Spanish Revival. 

City Hall underwent its second major renovation between 2018-2021. Reconstruction of both the inside and outside of City Hall focused on creating a modern, energy-efficient working environment while maintaining the old Spanish-style look and feel. The overall energy usage decreased by 64% when compared to 2017 (just before renovation began). The city is currently spending less than $40,000 annually in utilities compared to previous years where it was more than $100,000.

Several key sustainable features incorporated in this retrofit project include solar hot water heating, high-performing Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) mechanical system with state-of-the art Building Automation System (BAS), LED lighting systems, bicycle storage room located in the building for occupants, electric vehicle charging stations, and green stromwater infrastructure. It currently houses the mayor, city council, the executive leadership team, along with a media room and council meeting rooms.

Once LEED certification is received, the City Hall retrofit project will be the oldest building in San Antonio to receive LEED Silver Certification.