It's become clear to the city staff that there is a dire need for a new city complex to accommodate all the bodies and services. Ironically, within the downtown construction could lie the solution.

Although the city is in the very early stages of planning its options, some possible locations for a new city hall could be either in Building 2 of the new Mozart Development or in the Town & Country Village.

According to Robert Paternoster, the city's director of community development said the council has not yet set a date to take a closer look at the options, but that it should happen before the end of the year.

Paternoster said an off-site location is one of three possible design concepts Heller Manus Architects presented to the city council and staff on Aug. 27.

The first option, which calls for refurbishing and expanding the current city hall, has an estimated cost of $69 million. The second alternative would be to build a completely new structure at the current city hall site with an estimated price tag of $109 million. The third concept would be to build a completely new city hall at one of possible three locations—in Building 2 of the Mozart Development in downtown Sunnyvale, which is close to completion; in the Town & Country Village, also located downtown; or east of the current site, on Mathilda Avenue between W. Olive and W. Iowa avenues. This option has an estimated cost of $91million.

Paternoster acknowledged there are no sources for funding any of these options at this time.

The preliminary plans for the third concept are based on the city partially funding the construction of the new building through the sale of city-owned tracts of land.

Paternoster said Mozart Building 2 became available four months ago when Handspring decided not to lease the space as planned. Representatives from Mozart approached the city and asked if they were interested in purchasing the building instead.

"The possibility of actually owning the building has not been discussed in any length," Paternoster said.

Paternoster stressed that there is still a long way to go on this project should the city decide to go through with it.

"The earliest possible date for any construction would be 2007," Paternoster said. "But there is a need in the future for more space."

Many city officials agree that the city is in need of more space. According to Robert Walker, director of Sunnyvale's parks and recreation department, city hall has been overcrowded since the 1980s.

"Back in 2000, the city required another 70,000 square feet to serve our needs," he said. "That's the size of the library. It may eventually get close to 100,000 square feet."

Walker, who is also in charge of both the care and upkeep of community facilities, said he's been providing Paternoster with information on how the city is currently allocating space to its employees and services. He's also in charge of finding short-term solutions.

According to Walker, the city discovered it was running out of space in the 1980s and began doing what it could to improve the situation. Short-term remedies included converting storage areas, putting two people in one-person offices, and utilizing basements.

In the 1990s, the city built the south annex next to city hall. Walker said these "temporary" modular buildings have been in use for the better part of a decade."

According to Walker, the city recently tried to increase its office space by purchasing a small group of buildings at 505 W. Olive St. known as the "rabbit hutches." He added that these buildings have already been filled to their capacity.

Walker said the public will not be left of discussions about a new or expanded city hall.