Hopeful rules for public buildings

I'm always struck by how the public sector always seems to "need" a nice new building only 20 years or so after a building for that purpose is constructed. It could be the high school, the fire station, or the Metrodome, and the story is the same. As soon as the old bonds are paid off, the campaign starts for a new building, or for major alterations of the old one. Of course, only the finest building materials--brick, granite, marble, and such--can be used for a public building. Or so they say.

I don't mind using good materials for a building that's going to be used for 80 years, but if they're going to gut everything and start over every couple of decades, I can suggest a more appropriate kind of building for that purpose.