San Benito CISD board selects architectural firm for Performing Arts Center after presentations

The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees selected an architectural firm and authorized district administration to negotiate a contract for the district’s Performing Arts Center project following presentations by multiple shortlisted teams on March 26.

Trustees moved into a closed session after the presentations. After returning to open session the board voted to "select Gignac as the architect," a motion made by board member Barriant and seconded by Curran; the motion carried. The board then voted to authorize administration to negotiate a contract with the selected architectural firm (motion by Hernandez, second by Dr. Cruz); that motion also carried.

Before the votes, the board heard roughly twenty minutes of presentations from three responding teams and their consultants. Key presenters included Raymond Janak and Rolando Rubiano from Janak Architects (highlighting performing‑arts experience and the team’s approach to salvaging and reusing suitable materials), David Mondreal and Rowan Gomez from GMS Architects (emphasizing third‑party oversight, windstorm certification, commissioning and digital documentation workflows), and Bridal Godinez of EO Architects (focusing on community‑centered programming and experience delivering K‑12 performing arts centers). WJHW and other technical consultants joined several teams to explain acoustics, theatrical systems and structural coordination.

Janak’s presentation emphasized performing arts experience and said the firm can inventory and selectively reuse materials the district already owns. GMS proposed a third‑party review model that would integrate windstorm certification, commissioning and digital point‑cloud/digital‑walkthrough documentation to catch issues earlier in design and construction. EO Architects stressed community engagement and programming, noting the district had previously considered a facility up to 1,000 seats and emphasizing that programming should drive size and systems choices. "Every project that we start with, this is the foundation of our company, is this transformation of school facilities into thriving and sustainable learning environments that are future ready," Bridal Godinez told the board.

Trustees focused questions on construction quality control, pay application oversight, how the teams would handle existing materials and warranties, and how often architects or third‑party reviewers would visit the site. Presenters generally said they conduct regular site visits during construction (typically weekly), perform hold‑point inspections before concealment (for example, rebar checks before concrete pours), and provide documentation and reporting tied to pay application reviews. GMS and EO committed to more frequent on‑site presence if the district requires it; one presenter said his construction administrator lives locally and the team would commit to twice‑weekly visits given the project’s importance.

The board’s selection came after the presentations and a closed‑session deliberation; the district president read statutory reasons for executive session and identified relevant sections of the Open Meetings Act on the record before the closed session. The board did not release contract terms or a project schedule at the meeting. Administration was authorized to begin negotiating a contract with the selected firm.

Ending: The board authorized contract negotiations and moved on to other agenda items, including personnel actions.