Las Cruces Approves Contract To Design, Build New City Hall

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) – Las Cruces city councilors have approved a $1.67 (M) million dollar contract to design and engineer a new city hall. But councilors say they’re concerned about a contingency clause in the contract that would let costs go up by 15%.

The new city hall will be built on land the city already owns. Some $23 million dollars has been budgeted for the building. It will house most city government offices and agencies. Construction could start as soon as early next year, and the building cold be ready in the summer of 2008.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-01-18-06 0734EST