Gonzales County commissioners approve annex renovation plan, authorize fire‑suppression ASR

Gonzales County Commissioners Court on Monday voted to proceed with renovating the county annex rather than building a new structure, after a presentation from John Duke of CPM that compared renovation and new‑build options and outlined costs, redesign expenses and grant timing.

John Duke, project manager with CPM, told the court the renovation scenario has a total estimated cost of about $11,060,000, “which covers construction, professional services, contingencies, and allowances,” and said that renovating the annex would allow the annex to be completed by mid‑2026 so the courthouse renovation could begin in late 2026. Duke said new‑build options — a 25,000‑square‑foot single‑story option estimated at about $14.5 million and a roughly 50,000‑square‑foot two‑story option estimated at about $24.16–24.5 million — would likely push completion into 2027 and risk missing the Texas Historical Commission (THC) biennium grant window.

The…