City Councilman Anthony Byrd said "our worse fears were realized" on Friday when a car ran into the side of the new Avondale Recreation Center.
No one was injured in the wreck, police said.
Councilman Byrd said a woman stole a car, then hit another vehicle before careening into the rec center.
He said residents had warned about the building being constructed up to the sidewalk by the busy Wilcox Boulevard.
Maura Sullivan, city chief operating officer, said there was enough damage that the work will need to go out for bid.
She said officials had commissioned a traffic study last fall. However, she said a number of residents were opposed to the slowing of traffic that would have added 1-2 minutes on commute times. So the city did not go forward with any traffic changes.