Garden Grove : End Could Be Near for Aging City Hall

City Hall has survived fire, earthquake and even condemnation in its seven-decade history, but its final days may be approaching.

Built in 1924 as the George Washington Elementary School, the building at 11391 Acacia Parkway was renamed the Stephen R. Fitz Middle School in 1938 in honor of the retiring superintendent of schools.

It managed to ride out the powerful earthquake of 1933 without major structural damage. However, school officials abandoned the facility in 1948 when they declared it unfit because of the costly improvements that would have been needed to bring it into compliance with state earthquake safety standards.

City employees have long joked about working in a condemned building.

The district sold the building to the city for $1 when Garden Grove incorporated in 1956.

The building has undergone several renovations to keep pace with the city’s growth, but it still fails to comply with several state and federal safety requirements, officials say.

City Manager George Tindall cites a litany of problems--termite troubles, ceilings that contain asbestos, its failure to meet fire-exit requirements, as well as roof and electrical problems.

He estimates it would cost about $2.5 million to make needed repairs to the building and to bring it into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Tindall recently proposed that the council consider using redevelopment bonds to either renovate the building or to buy a vacant office building in the Civic Center area for a new City Hall. The city has solicited proposals from engineers and architects to prepare a cost analysis for both remodeling the old City Hall and buying a new one.