‘The building is on life support’: Fort Lauderdale City Hall shut down after historic rain
After more than two feet of rain inundated Fort Lauderdale, neighborhoods and businesses aren’t the only ones still feeling the brunt of cataclysmic flooding. Officials, too, were forced to shut down Fort Lauderdale City Hall due to storm-related damage.
“The building is on life support right now,” City Manager Greg Chavarria said in a news conference.
On Wednesday, the city detailed how the eight-story, 1960s-era building at 100 N. Andrews Ave. saw extensive damage to electrical and HVAC systems — forcing the use of auxiliary generators to keep it habitable.
The move led to a large price tag — about $175,000 per day — to keep generators and other necessities going at the facility, which was built in the late 1960s. However, officials found the price to be “neither practical nor sustainable.”
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, rainwater from the roof drained into the building., and floodwaters that reached eight feet destroyed mechanical and electrical equipment.
“It takes 150 gallons of diesel per hour to [use generators to] power the building with electricity,” Chavarria told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “You can imagine the cost.”
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said the city had considering a new city hall in the past several years, NBC 6 reported..
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission agreed to relocate staff to a yet-to-be announced location and plan for a new City Hall.
Residents who had business at the hall are asked to call 954-828-8000, where call center employees can take their information and direct it to the correct person.
This story was originally published April 19, 2023 at 9:51 PM.
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