New London Mayor Michael Passero has identified the problem and his administration is providing the broad outlines of a solution, but we don’t suspect anyone will be measuring drapes for new city offices anytime soon.

New London has its municipal offices spread across too many buildings. Those buildings are largely old and they have been poorly maintained by the city as it repeatedly put off maintenance for short-term savings.

It makes no sense to continue utilizing all those buildings or investing the estimated $8 million it would cost to get them back in shape.

Passero and the administration’s Office of Development and Planning have floated the idea to the City Council to unload the buildings, or at least most of them, and explore leasing space for municipal offices.

This is absolutely an idea worth looking into, but it also raises many questions. However, the mayor’s stated goal of presenting lease options to the council in time for the budget process for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2019 — a little over six months away — appears unrealistically ambitious. Quick decisions are often not the best decisions.

At the top of the priority list would be the sale of the Richard R. Martin Center and getting those offices moved elsewhere. Built in 1934, the hulking 61,000-square-foot building at 120 Broad St. originally housed part of the Williams Memorial Institute. The city purchased it in 1975.

The city is just two years removed from being hit with violations after inspectors with the state Department of Labor’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health found an accumulation of mold, paint chips and debris — linked to water leaks. While that emergency was addressed, the Martin Center remains a white elephant, with the city investing $112,000 annually to keep it operational, about one-third of the money it spends on operating costs at its four municipal buildings.

New London has a potential developer for the Martin building, according to the mayor. That would be great, but we shall see. The Renaissance City Development Association has been marketing the building with the requirement that a buyer would have to maintain the senior center, which is located in a portion of the structure.

Also housed at the Martin Center are the Youth Affairs and Recreation departments, the Public Utilities office, the Center for the Blind and FRESH New London, a locally grown community and youth nutritional program. Veolia Water, which manages the public water system for New London and neighboring communities, is a tenant.

If the city can find a Martin Center buyer that meets its terms, it would make sense to examine consolidating other city offices with those now housed in the Martin building.

In addition to City Hall at 181 State St., where offices include the mayor’s suite, the City Clerk’s office, registrars and the council chambers, the city has its finance operation at 13-15 Masonic St. and its building inspections units and public works offices at the Stanton Building, 111 Union St.

But what of City Hall? We cannot imagine the city abandoning the century-old historic structure for leased space. And it will be the most expensive to keep in operation, facing $3.6 million in renovations.

A possible solution could be leasing new space to consolidate many city offices, while making the investment in City Hall necessary to restore and upgrade it for modern operations. Having leased space could allow for City Hall offices to temporarily move, aiding restoration and perhaps lowering costs by emptying City Hall.

But there are many variables and open questions. What will be the lease costs and the city’s responsibilities for maintenance? What operations go where? Should the city be looking at other needs as well in coordination with this effort — for fire services, police and public school offices?

This is an important discussion to have, but not one the administration should rush to a conclusion.

The Day editorial board meets with political, business and community leaders to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Timothy Dwyer, Executive Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, Owen Poole, copy editor, and Lisa McGinley, retired deputy managing editor. The board operates independently from The Day newsroom.