▁Dow nt own ▁Houston . ▁It ▁is ▁surrounded ▁by ▁the ▁Houston ▁Sky line ▁District ▁and ▁is ▁similar ▁in ▁design ▁to ▁do z ens ▁of ▁other ▁city ▁h alls ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁south west ▁United ▁States ▁during ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁period . ▁City ▁Hall ▁is ▁fl ank ed ▁by ▁T ran qu ility ▁Park ▁and ▁the ▁Houston ▁Public ▁Library . ▁The ▁simply ▁designed ▁structure ▁featured ▁many ▁construction ▁details ▁that ▁have ▁helped ▁to ▁make ▁this ▁building ▁an ▁architect ural ▁classic . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Houston ' s ▁municipal ▁government ▁was ▁head qu arter ed ▁at ▁Old ▁Market ▁Square . ▁It ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁fire ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁and ▁also ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁and ▁re built ▁each ▁time . ▁In ▁those ▁days , ▁City ▁Hall ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁l ively ▁commercial ▁atmosphere ▁of ▁the ▁Square . ▁However , ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁the ▁city ▁leaders ▁decided ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁appropriate ▁for ▁their ▁needs . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁the ▁city ' s ▁planning ▁commission ▁ur ged ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁civ ic ▁center ▁around ▁a ▁dow nt own ▁park , ▁H erman ▁Square . ▁However , ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression ▁sid et rack ed ▁the ▁plans ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁center . ▁When ▁President ▁Franklin ▁Del ano ▁Ro ose vel t ▁instit uted ▁the ▁Works ▁Progress ▁Administration ▁program , ▁the ▁city ▁applied