Four Fort Bend County facilities to be constructed, see improvements

By: Aubrey Vogel - Community Impact 

Fort Bend County will spend $11.79 million on multiple development projects at county facilities, including county courtrooms and the construction of an elections building.

Commissioners approved these four projects at the March 26 Commissioners Court meeting.

1. District Clerk Passport Office renovations

According to agenda documents, the passport office, located at 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Ste. 31004, Richmond, will see renovations, including:

   Demolishing an existing 2,160-square-foot file room
   Interior finish of nine passport offices and one waiting area
   Adding two secure suite doors with card readers
   Modifying the existing air conditioning system

The application period to submit design proposals for the renovations opened March 28 and closes April 23. Final approval of the contractor is estimated for June 11 at Commissioners Court, according to the open bid.

   Timeline: TBD
   Cost: $250,000

2. Fort Bend County courtroom updates

Nineteen county courtrooms will get new audio and video technology, including the purchase and upgrades of:

   Video cameras
   Flatpanel displays
   Switching, control and scaling equipment
   Speech-to-text technology
   Connectivity
   Audio equipment
   A/V equipment rack
   System cabling

The 434th District Court was initially used as the beta courtroom to test the new technology and allow staff to work out any issues, Director of Information Technology Robyn Doughtie said in an email.

Doughtie said she expects it to take about a week to install technology in each courtroom.

   Timeline: TBD
   Cost: $1.19 million

3. Emergency Medical Services logistics warehouse and bay expansion

Commissioners approved a contract with Bass Construction to expand the Fort Bend County EMS Medic 1 building at 4332 Hwy. 36 in Rosenberg.

The expansion will add approximately 2,410 square feet of air conditioned storage space for logistical supplies distribution as well as roughly 4,460 square feet for three pull-through ambulance bays and an additional storage area, according to agenda documents.

Bass Construction was previously awarded design for the project in November, according to agenda documents.

   Timeline: nine months from notice to proceed
   Cost: $2.29 million

4. Elections building

According to agenda documents, Crain Group LLC will construct a new 48,000-square-foot elections building, which will include:

   Administrative offices and meeting spaces
   A 37,000-square-foot climate-controlled warehouse
   Concrete paving for 100 parking spaces
   Improvements to outdoor lighting, landscaping and irrigation

The building will be located at 3700 Bamore Road, Rosenberg.

   Timeline: eight to nine months from notice to proceed
   Cost: $8.05 million

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