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La Mesa unveils $35 million plan for new city hall and library expansion; parking could double project cost
Summary
City staff and HMC Architects presented a space‑needs analysis proposing a roughly 31,000 sq ft new city hall that would expand library space and could include a relocated 5,000 sq ft post office; the baseline project cost was estimated at about $35 million with structured parking described as "at least double" that amount.
La Mesa city leaders on Sept. 23 reviewed a space‑needs analysis that recommends building a new city hall east of the police station and expanding the library, a plan staff and consultants say would yield a roughly 30,950–31,000 square‑foot facility and make room for a relocated post office.
"This city hall is seen to be a space that provides a fantastic view of city government and meets all the administrative needs of both city staff and public," said Kyle Peterson, principal with HMC Architects, who led the presentation of the study and planning diagrams. The report estimates a baseline project cost of about $35 million and targets city hall occupancy in mid‑2029.
The recommendation grew from three initial options — a vertical expansion, a horizontal expansion and a new building — and reflects staff direction to evaluate horizontal expansion before the consultant identified a preferred new‑building layout that creates a civic plaza and preserves clear public‑private circulation between chambers and staff areas.
Council members pressed the consultant about parking and phasing. Peterson said the parking approach is scalable and depends on desired uses; adding structured parking would markedly increase the project cost. "At least double," Peterson said when asked how much structured parking would add to the baseline estimate, a figure council members interpreted to mean a total project scale on the order of $70 million if a parking garage is included.
Council Member Dillard praised the study visuals and the larger library footprint, saying she hopes the expanded library will meet community needs. Vice Mayor Casares and others stressed the importance of assessing interim parking during construction and the long time gap between construction start and completion. Peterson said the project would likely be built in phases and that the city could consider bringing a developer partner to help with phasing and construction logistics.
The presentation noted outreach to U.S. Postal Service real estate staff and to regional officials; staff told council copies of a July 30, 2025 letter were sent to postal leadership but that the city had not yet received a response about a possible relocation. The study also builds in a 10 percent projected staff growth allowance.
The council did not take formal action on the design tonight; the study is intended to guide future procurement and design steps. Next steps described included issuing RFPs for design and continuing outreach with the post office and key stakeholders.
Costs, timeline and the parking tradeoffs were central to council discussion; members asked staff to examine phasing options, interim parking plans and long‑term financing and to return with more detailed cost breakdowns and parking scenarios.
Background: The report traces this project’s planning to a 2023 library needs assessment and a March 25, 2025 contract awarded to HMC Architects for a space‑needs analysis.
