You can't fight City Hall, because you can't get to City Hall.
1200 WOAI news reports a stout iron fence has been erected around the downtown landmark, signalling the start of a $38 million, 18 month reconstruction project at the nearly 130 year old building, which is one of the oldest continuously occupied government buildings in the country.
City Council earlier this year gave its approval to the construction project.
It started simply with a plan to make the old building accessible to the disabled in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For years people in wheelchairs have been limited to entering City Hall through a dark subterranian sidewalk that leads into the basement, due to the grand staircases on the front and back main entrances of the building.
The overall project will include electrical and plumbing upgrades are planned, the facade will be repaired, security improvements will be made, and major repairs will be made to alleviate water leaks and other ongoing problems.
The entire building will be closed during the reconstruction. The Mayor, City Manager, and City Council are moving to the Plaza de Armas building behind City Hall. Many city departments are moving to temporary buildings on Dolorosa Street.
The move won't affect City Council meetings, which have been held at the Main Plaza Building next to San Fernando Cathedral for the last twenty years.
The long range plan is to move most City departments into the current Frost Bank building, when Frost moves to the new Frost Bank Tower in 2019.
City offices in the Main Plaza Building will then be converted to condos, apartments, and commercial space.City Hall is set to reopen in January of 2020.