The city of McAllen is looking to expand the north side of city hall. 

While this idea is only conceptual for now, it was the main item of discussion during the city’s workshop Monday night. 

McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez says it was at the end of 2021 when the mayor and city commission asked that they look into creating a plan. Their idea is to add to city hall’s back end with a parking garage on the bottom, then go up four stories and provide almost 40,000 feet in office space.

By the city’s own estimates, it is a $21 million undertaking.

“This building has served us well," Rodriguez said. "We made an addition to the development center back in about 2013, and took some people out of city hall and we said, 'Best-case scenario, this expansion will last five to ten years.' And we’re about to hit ten years."

During Monday’s presentation, City Engineer Eduardo Mendoza told members of the commission that some departments within the city have exceeded their growth, including their IT department that works from both city hall and the library.

“We think that this, four floors of square footage, gives us the growth — I think we were targeting was about 20 years of growth for that," said Mendoza. "We believe this could accomplish that."

"This is the right moment for us to decide what direction we’d like to move in,” Mendoza continued.

Although there was not an official vote during Monday’s night presentation, Mayor Javier Villalobos has asked to fast-track it and said, “We got to do what we go to do for the next 20, 30 years.”