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County authorizes study to update South Beach (JBSA) plans as first step toward DHA relocation
Summary
Commissioners authorized staff to negotiate with Chesley Morales Partners to validate scope, update architectural plans and produce a current cost estimate for the 'South Beach' building on Fort Sam Houston, a precursor to grant applications and further negotiations to host Defense Health Agency functions in San Antonio.
Bexar County on April 8 gave staff authority to begin negotiations with Chesley Morales Partners Inc. to update design drawings and develop a detailed, current cost estimate for the building known locally as "South Beach" (Building 2371) at Joint Base San Antonio–Fort Sam Houston. County officials said the work is intended to determine whether a previously envisioned redevelopment — which DHA once studied and which the county and city previously planned to help fund — remains viable under current building codes and market costs.
Dan Curry, Bexar County's facilities director, told commissioners the original drawings date from 2005 and are not directly usable because of code changes and construction-cost inflation. The county estimates the original concept had a $30 million price tag (county $10 million, city $10 million and two $5 million state grants were planned). Curry said the county has already budgeted its $10 million share but needs an updated cost opinion and scope validation before committing further public funds or applying for the state grants.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg's representative and General Russell Ayala (ret.), who addressed the court, said the city remains supportive and reiterated the development’s potential to house Defense Health Agency staff and related military medical functions. General Ayala described the project as part of a long-standing push to grow military medicine capacity in San Antonio and noted the economic and workforce benefits DHA jobs could bring.
Commissioners emphasized caution: they directed staff to seek a firm scope validation and cost estimate and to seek stronger federal assurances before committing to construction funds. The court voted to authorize negotiation of a professional services agreement for architectural validation and current-cost estimating, with any final construction contract or funding agreement to return to commissioners for approval.
