What’s going to happen with Buda’s old library and city hall when the new municipal building opens?
That was the discussion at the Buda City Council meeting, as council members reviewed recommendations from city staff.
Buda Assistant City Manager Micah Grau told the council that there is a high level of interest from the public, and that residents seem to prefer the city sell the annex building and repurpose city hall building and the library.
Grau said the city could retain ownership of the buildings, and use them for future administrative needs, retain and lease them out, or sell them all together.
“There’s a high demand for additional office space in Hays County,” Grau said.
Council members agreed with city staff that the library building should be repurposed for public use in part since it was publicly funded.
“Given the dynamics of the people involved in the library I think it’s important that we keep that as a public space for the whole community to use,” Buda Mayor Todd Ruge said.
Council members David Nuckels and Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Lane were absent from the Sept. 19 council meeting; council members present were opposed to selling either the city hall building or the library.
“I generally would be in favor of leasing the spaces rather than selling them,” Council Member Wiley Hopkins said, regarding the city partnering with a developer to renovate the buildings.
Council member Lee Urbanovsky agreed , saying it was too soon to discuss selling the buildings and property attached to them. He said the library building should remain public space for either a community center or something else a developer may want to bring in.
“I agree with everyone that we shouldn’t sell, and the library should be public space,” Urbanovsky said.
No action was taken; the issue is expected to be brought back to council after review of options by city staff.
