I seem to remember that the justification given at the time for tearing down the old City Hall building was that it was not built to seismic standards and was unsafe. These seismic concerns helped EPD to receive a boutique $17+ million Country Clubhouse. 

(( Built on a gravelly liquefaction zone with the potential for inundation... ))

So, if the excuse to tear down the old City Hall was made on seismic concerns, why did the new design not incorporate seismic upgrades? This whole City Hall project smells like inchoate graft. Oopsie, we forgot to include the seismic upgrades we used as an excuse in the first place, now fork over more millions... Don't mind us as we laugh our way to a tax haven in Panama!