THE CZECH IS IN THE MAIL
During its 150-year history, Taylor has been good at repurposing buildings.
City Hall is a former Safeway Inc. grocery, the Police Department is housed in a converted beer-distribution building and Municipal Court operates in what used to be a bank.
Even the former Taylor High School has been repurposed as a retail and event hub.
Older or altered buildings not being used for their original purpose require repairs.
While routine maintenance is a necessity, there are times when a fresh start is the best answer.
In November 2027, Taylor will get that fresh start. City Hall, Municipal Court and the Police Department will relocate from their current homes to a new, $52 million building downtown at 300 E.
Second St. Ground was broken this past week (see the related story in this edition).
While some may deem the future City Hall and Justice Center Complex a waste of tax dollars, this contemporary structure will give city employees and administrators an updated facility for operations. To put this into perspective, the three agencies sharing the new offices have outgrown current locales that constantly need a lot of work.
City Hall has been at its current site since 1983; the Police Department since 1999; and Municipal Court dating to 2014. Not only are repairs and upkeep of the existing sites costly, but as the city grows, the departments grow. Taylor is no longer a sleepy town with less than 10,000 people. Today’s population is upwards of 18,000, with more expected once Samsung Austin Semiconductor goes online.
The new complex was the brainchild of the 2023 City Council.
Former council members including Gerald Anderson, Dwayne Ariola, Robert Garcia, Mitch Drummond and former Mayor Brandt Rydell approved the measure to make this facility a reality.
During Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony, all those former council members sans Drummond attended.
Ariola is now the mayor of Taylor but is stepping down this month because he did not seek reelection May 2.
A new mayor will be in office when the complex opens.
As someone who has driven every vehicle he owns until the “wheels fell off,” I am usually a fan of repurposing and routine maintenance.
But in this case, I’m in favor of the replacement municipal complex. This is my own opinion, of course, and not the official stance one way or the other of the Taylor Press.
Chlapek is the area editor of the Taylor Press. He can be reached at jason.chlapek@granite mediapartners.com.
