A remodel of Austin City Hall is moving forward as Austin Utilities prepares to move into its new facility.

On Monday, the Austin City Council approved a $735,000 budget to remodel City Hall and $600,000 to be transferred from the general fund to the building fund for the remodel.

Austin Utilities will move this spring and summer from its current space at City Hall to a new $18 million administrative facility near Todd Park. That will free up space in City Hall to remodel and move other city offices.

Preliminary plans call to move the city clerk and council offices into Austin Utilities’s current space. Then Parks and Rec would move into the city clerk and council offices space.

Director of Administrative Services Tom Dankert said the city has already budgeted $275,000 for the acquisition price, with other dollars set aside for the renovation. They also have added an allocation for office furniture from the state contract.

Dankert said the city is working with the architect to get final numbers.

The remodel will include redistribution of space for offices, energy efficiency compliances and new carpeting, walls and paint. There will also be security access and camera enhancements.

Dankert said Austin Utilities is taking most of its furniture, but is leaving behind a lot of flip top cabinets. He said whatever the city does not take and they don’t want, they will be auctioned off.

He added he didn’t think the city would need the full $175,000 for the furniture and fixtures budget because they would reuse some of Austin Utilities’s furniture that was left behind.

Break down of budget

•Contractor’s estimate: $480,000

•Security access/cameras: $25,000

•Phones/switches: $15,000

•Server changes/Wi-Fi: $9,000

•Furniture and fixtures, illuminated signs: $175,000

•Contingency (some built into contractor estimate): $31,000

—Total: $735,000

Source: City Council Work Session Agenda