Rockwall County reviews $4.7M estimate for sheriff's office remodel; GMP due May 19

Rockwall County commissioners on May 13 reviewed plans, schedule and funding for a multi‑phase remodel of portions of the sheriff’s office and adjacent former jail space at the Rockwall County Historic Courthouse.

At a workshop meeting, Salvador “Sal” with Park Hill, the design firm on the project, walked the court through floor plans, demolition and construction sequencing for roughly 20,874 square feet of renovation inside the 56,731‑square‑foot building. Park Hill described the work as primarily interior renovation of an unused portion of the old jail and the south side of the building rather than any exterior expansion.

The discussion centered on three construction phases, building systems, evidence storage and funding. Park Hill said the construction manager at‑risk’s current cost estimate for construction is “right under $5,000,000,” with a prior estimate around $4.7 million for construction costs, excluding soft costs such as furniture and equipment. The firm told commissioners the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) was scheduled to be returned to the county by subcontractor bids the week of May 19, and that staff intends to bring a complete package to the first court meeting in June.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the work completes a voter‑approved bond commitment to provide a new jail and remodel for the sheriff’s office. The project would convert offline jail spaces into usable office, training and evidence areas, increasing secure evidence storage and creating a secure public lobby, while attempting to keep the building in operation throughout construction.

Key design and program points

- Scope and square footage: Park Hill said the area of renovation is 20,874 square feet within a 56,731‑square‑foot building. The design reuses an offline wing of the old jail and refits south‑side areas for office, training and support functions.

- Evidence storage: The plan moves evidence processing and storage into a consolidated “evidence wing.” Park Hill said the new dedicated storage area “almost doubles” the current indoor evidence storage square footage and includes two refrigerated pass‑through evidence lockers and a controlled access processing area. The sheriff’s office noted some items will remain in an outdoor Connex unit for larger items.

- Dispatch and EOC: The design phases include temporarily relocating dispatch into the current Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during construction, then moving dispatch back when its space is completed. The court discussed contingency options if the EOC must be activated while dispatch occupies the temporary space; staff said they would work logistics with the contractor and leverage other conference rooms or the sheriff’s existing conference facilities as needed.

- Accessibility and restrooms: Park Hill said three single‑user restrooms in the renovation area do not meet the 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards but are currently adequate for use; replacing fixtures would trigger a full accessibility upgrade under Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) rules. The architect said the team will verify compliance with a registered accessibility specialist before changing fixtures.

- Building systems and finishes: Park Hill described two HVAC approaches for different parts of the work (a conventional system and a VRF system to avoid routing through concrete openings), new lighting and ceiling grids, replacement of many doors, new low‑voltage/security systems and a finishes palette matching recently completed jail areas.

Schedule and budget context

Dan Jones, the contractor’s project manager, said the contractor’s schedule shows construction in three phases and estimated an eight‑month duration for the phased work. Park Hill and county staff said the construction manager is delivering subcontractor bids for a GMP the week of May 19, after which county staff (including Nico and Lisa, who were identified as staff working on the procurement) will finalize documents to bring before the court in early June.

Funding: County officials said existing funding sources include remaining ARPA money and unused bond proceeds from the voter‑approved jail bond. County staff said about $3.1 million from ARPA and roughly $825,000 remaining from the jail bond are part of the project funding pool; commissioners estimated available project funds in the range of about $5.2 million when combined with other reserves. Park Hill noted the construction estimate does not include soft costs such as furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) and professional fees.

What the court decided and next steps

No formal vote was taken at the workshop. Commissioners asked staff to return with the GMP and a funding package at the first court meeting in June. The construction manager will submit the GMP based on subcontractor bids around May 19; county staff will compile soft‑cost estimates and a funding recommendation for the court.

Quotes from the meeting

Salvador (Sal) of Park Hill summarized the scope: “the area in pink there is what you see is really, what we focused in on as part of this renovation.”

Commissioner Stacy on funding: “Yes. We had some fund transfer in there, some ARPA stuff in there and that's what we're trying to shore up. So when we bring this back to the court, which should be the first court in June, it will be funded.”

Dan Jones, contractor project manager, on schedule: “The drawings show a clear demarcation of where the phases are. So we are planning on, you know, adhering to those phases. And our schedule shows us doing it in 8 months.”

Ending

County staff and the project team said they will continue coordination with the sheriff’s office to manage temporary dispatch needs, final accessibility review and evidence security during construction. The court expects to consider the GMP and a final funding package at its first regular meeting in June.

(Reporting based on Rockwall County Commissioners Court workshop, May 13, 2025. No formal vote was recorded during this agenda item.)