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San Patricio County hears courthouse renovation update, approves Justice Center change orders totaling about $175,000
Summary
County engineers reported near-complete design documents for the courthouse renovation and said the Justice Center is about 84% complete; commissioners approved two Justice Center change orders — $119,247 for a double-lock sprinkler system and $56,190 for revised office layouts and workstations, to be charged to contingency funds.
The San Patricio County Commissioners Court received updates on courthouse renovation planning and approved two change orders for the Justice Center construction, the court announced.
County Engineer John A. Hernandez told commissioners the courthouse renovation team had submitted 90% construction documents and expected 100% construction documents in early April. "This week, I believe today or tomorrow, there'll be an environmental review at the existing courthouse," Hernandez said, adding the review will focus on asbestos and the basement HVAC system.
The courthouse work is being advanced so the county can secure cost estimates and negotiate a guaranteed maximum price with the construction manager at risk, Hernandez said. "At the end of this month in early April, the contractor should receive what we call the 100% construction documents," he said.
The court also heard a drone update on the adjacent Justice Center project. "This month's payout is approximately $2,400,000 and that'll bring the project completion to about 84% complete," Hernandez said, and outlined pending gypsum-board and third-floor work that staff said controls the project's critical path.
Commissioners approved two county-requested change orders tied to the Justice Center. Change order number 2, for $119,247, funds a double-lock fire-sprinkler system for record-storage rooms used by the county clerk and district clerk and adds power and data outlets to storage areas. Consultant Scott explained the double-lock system is designed to prevent accidental activation and protect irreplaceable paper records: "The double lock system was basically designed for purposes like this where you're gonna have paper documents that if they're destroyed, they can't be reproduced." Commissioners questioned why the protection was not included in earlier design phases; staff said the need was identified and addressed after initial plans were presented.
Change order number 3, for about $56,190, revises office layouts and related HVAC, lighting and data work after requests from judges, the district attorney and the district clerk. The work converts conference rooms to offices in some areas, adds workstations and centralizes deputy support staff in the district clerk's office. County staff told commissioners contingency funds are available to cover the revisions. "There are funds set aside in... our contingency that we have set aside for different various reasons," a county finance staff member said during the discussion.
Both change orders were approved by the court during the same session. The county engineer said the changes are intended to address operational needs discovered as departments review the building layout in detail.
Next procedural steps include finalizing construction documents for the courthouse renovation and continuing Justice Center construction through the remainder of the critical-path work; the county will develop final cost estimates and proceed with contract negotiations for guaranteed maximum price agreements as scheduled.
