Sugar Land 4B Corporation approves up to $7 million to fund parks at former Fluor campus

On May 16, 2025, the Sugar Land 4B Corporation voted unanimously to approve resolution SL4BR25-06, authorizing the city of Sugar Land to seek up to $7,000,000 in 4B funds to support parks and civic space within the proposed Lake Pointe redevelopment on the former Fluor campus.

The appropriation would support at least 5 acres of park and civic space — staff said they expect the area may be about 7 to 8 acres once negotiations are complete — and is intended to help bridge gap financing that can make the infill redevelopment economically viable. Devin, a city staff member presenting the item, said the request is “$7,000,000 to support the creation of 5 plus acres of park and civic space.”

The money described in the resolution would come from two sources: $3.6 million from the city’s reserve-for-opportunity and $3.4 million from the Sugar Land 4B fund balance, and would require a formal budget amendment before funds are transferred. “If the agreement doesn’t work out ... that $7,000,000 is just going to come back to 4B,” Devin said, describing the funding resolution as conditional on a later agreement between the city and the developer.

The concept plan presented by developer Lovett emphasizes compact residential development woven around expanded civic green space, preservation of mature trees that were planted when Fluor first built the campus, and expansion of the existing Brooks Lake Trail network. Devin said the existing Brooks Lake Trail is about 1.8 miles and that the proposal would expand trail connections through the development; specific amenities and trail design are still to be negotiated.

Board members asked about cost and fiscal capacity. Board member Kurt asked, “So we're talking about 5 plus acres for $7,000,000. Is that normal?” Devin responded that, based on his calculations, the per-square-foot estimate was approximately market rate and that the request is intended as gap financing for an infill site with higher redevelopment costs. Justin Medherato, a city budget staff member, described the revenue assumptions underpinning the long-range forecast and said the sales-tax projection follows the financial management policy and assumes 3% annual growth in years three through five if CPI is positive.

City staff described the next procedural steps as a joint public hearing with city council and planning and zoning that evening, followed by additional planning-and-zoning consideration; staff said a 4B budget amendment would be brought back to the board for the $3.4 million draw from fund balance. Devin said the city would negotiate a funding agreement with Lovett that would set final expectations and conditions for the use of the funds.

During the meeting, speakers emphasized tree preservation and open-space programming as priorities for the civic area; other community concerns previously raised to planning staff included construction impacts, phasing and multifamily density. The 4B board’s action did not approve the redevelopment concept plan itself; planning and zoning and city council retain authority over land-use approvals. If the negotiated agreement with Lovett does not proceed, staff said the funding resolution would be nullified and funds would remain in the 4B balance.

The motion to approve resolution SL4BR25-06 carried unanimously; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the meeting transcript. The city will return to the 4B board with a budget amendment if it seeks to transfer the indicated $3.4 million from the 4B fund balance.