Jennifer Bedell, Georgetown’s capital improvements project (CIP) manager, told the City Council workshop that the city is moving forward with a Customer Service Center to consolidate development services and other city functions in the Southwestern 56060 Phase 1A development along U.S. Highway 29.

The project carries a $56,000,000 project budget approved by voters in the 2023 bond election. Bedell said the site is part of a 67-acre Phase 1A developed in partnership with Banbury Development and that the city is coordinating utilities, fire access and trail connections with the broader development.

Why it matters: City staff described the center as a one-location improvement intended to speed permitting and public service by colocating planning, building, permitting, engineering and other customer-facing teams. The plan also includes a hardened data center for growing IT, space for HR and a training room, plus pedestrian connections to an adjacent eco-hub and city trails.

Bedell said the city engaged Marmon Mok as architect and Kimley-Horn as civil engineer; Tuvesen and Waypoint are designing the data center. She said the design team used a 10-year staffing projection from a 2023 facilities study to size the building and preferred an initial three-story building with an option for future expansion rather than leaving unfinished shell space. “We are projecting to open in early 2028,” Bedell said.

Supporting details from the presentation: Bedell said Georgetown has leased about 33,000 square feet elsewhere to handle current staff and that the 2023 facility study used 5-, 10- and 15-year staffing projections; the design is based on the 10-year projection. The study’s 2023 employee count was 985; the City Manager said the current total city workforce is about 1,100. Bedell outlined a near-term schedule: complete schematic design in early November, hire a construction manager at-risk (CMAR) at the end of October/early November, run design development November–February, and complete construction documents and begin permitting March–June so the city can meet the early-2028 opening target.

Council questions focused on footprint and occupancy: Councilmember Ben asked why the building footprint is more than double the leased space if staff increases are nearer to 50 percent. Bedell and the City Manager explained the center will consolidate multiple departments currently across several facilities (City Hall, Light and Water Works, public safety and the Inner Loop) and free up space for other municipal uses. The City Manager said the 985 figure was the 2023 total and that the city has grown since then.

Design and operations notes: Bedell said ground-floor public functions will include utility billing and public reception; the second floor will primarily house development services; the third floor will include departments with less public contact and a large training room. She said security needs, equipment delivery and cabling informed placing the data center on the ground floor and that utility feed locations and ADA access were under active coordination with Banbury and Kimley-Horn. Bedell also described staff visioning workshops on daylighting, materials and wayfinding intended to make the center “feel welcome” and to reflect Georgetown’s “big hometown” character.

Next steps and staff directions: Bedell said staff will release the CMAR solicitation, continue biweekly coordination meetings with Banbury, convene a technical review committee (TRC) for site and infrastructure issues and return to council in January–February with updated renderings and layouts. She emphasized that floor plans and adjacencies are still being vetted and may change.

What was not decided: The council did not vote on an ordinance, land use approval or contract during the workshop presentation. Bedell’s briefing and council questions were informational and directional; staff identified follow-up tasks (CMAR solicitation; TRC meeting; return with renderings) but no formal approvals were recorded in the transcript.