Design-build team presents downtown Fulshear parking structure concept and $14–15M cost estimate

Ziegler Cooper Architects and Paradigm Construction presented a conceptual downtown parking structure to the City of Fulshear Development Corporation on June 25, describing a masonry-faced, precast garage wrapped by retail with a central courtyard and a pedestrian Paseo connecting to Main Street.

The presentation, led by Chandler Johnson of Ziegler Cooper, outlined a design meant to avoid a monolithic parking wall on Main Street by placing retail at the street edge and locating the garage behind that retail. Johnson said the scheme preserves existing corner trees, provides a covered Paseo between garage and gathering space, and intentionally keeps the building “human scale.” He described the tallest point at roughly 31 feet 6 inches with the main garage parapet at 26 feet and an interior clear garage height of about 8 feet.

Why it matters: the concept is intended to free surface lots and on-site parking that now limit downtown building size, allowing future downtown development to use less land for parking and detention. Staff said the study responds to priorities in the city’s planning work and the EDC’s strategic plan.

Design and capacity details: Johnson reported 237 enclosed garage spaces, 13 angled surface spaces and seven parallel Main Street spaces — a total of roughly 262–263 spaces in the concept. Stall depth was shown at 20 feet and typical stall width at 9 feet; Johnson and the team discussed trading some 9-foot stalls for 10-foot stalls at the cost of losing about one space in every nine to better accommodate large trucks. The garage was described as precast (modular) construction to speed schedule and enable possible future vertical expansion with relatively modest up-front structural upgrades.

Construction, schedule and cost: Paradigm’s preconstruction representative told the board the team’s high-level estimate is approximately $14–15 million and that overall duration from mobilization to completion would be in the 12–14 month range. The retail areas were described as “cold dark” shells to be handed over to tenants for build-out (tenant fit-outs were estimated at 90–120 days depending on use).

Operations and amenities: The team proposed features to support events and daily use — multiple garage entrances on 2nd and 3rd streets to maintain access if Main Street becomes one-way, an elevator/lobby aligned with the Paseo, optional occupancy indicator lights, and infrastructure conduits to future-proof electric vehicle charging. Staff and presenters discussed designated motorcycle and golf-cart parking, grease-interceptor placement and service routing for restaurants, and tradeoffs between upfront costs (for example, sealers or masonry) and long-term maintenance burden.

Environmental and placemaking notes: The design emphasizes masonry, cast-stone accents and steel canopies to complement downtown character; the team suggested native plantings, planters and seating in the courtyard and said they would engage a landscape architect for final planting selections. Presenters noted solar, permeable paving and other sustainability options could be evaluated as menu items during design development.

Public feedback and EDC role: Board members and residents in the room urged robust outreach to downtown business owners and property owners (the block has multiple private owners). Staff clarified that there was no vote tonight: the EDC is seeking general direction to continue conversations with property owners, to solicit business-owner feedback, and to return with a design-build fee proposal. One staff speaker asked the board for permission to continue those conversations and to begin outreach and a public survey; staff said the packet and a public survey will be posted on the City of Fulshear Economic Development pages.

Next steps: Presenters said the next phase — if the board permits — would be schematic design with more resolved images and a narrower budget range, followed by design development to obtain the first hard cost and then construction documents and permitting (including review by the fire marshal and other local authorities). The team also listed technical early work that would occur at project start: tree survey, geotechnical report, and meetings with emergency services regarding radio repeaters and access.

Quotable: “We want it to feel like a Fulshear garage,” Chandler Johnson said during the presentation, describing treatments to make the structure fit downtown scale and character.

The board did not take formal action on the project concept at the meeting; staff said they will place a design-build fee proposal on the next month’s agenda and continue discussions with property owners and business stakeholders.