Travis County moves ahead with campus plan

On Tuesday, Travis County Commissioners moved forward with their Central Campus Study, a project that will ultimately decide where county government will be located for the next 25 years. The county is looking at expanding over two blocks of county land south and east of the current Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse.

 

The RFQ was issued in late October of 2008 and calls for a study of the expansion, taking into consideration the historic buildings nearby. At the time, Purchasing Agent Cyd Grimes told commissioners that the “historic courthouse is overcrowded. We have folks there in the hallways. In a sense we are architecturally abusing that facility.”

 

Phase one of the project is a needs assessment that looks at where to put county departments, how much space and parking is needed, and other considerations. Phase two involves master planning, which Executive Project Manager Christian Smith described as “how do you get what you need.” It will deal with city zoning, reusing facilities or building new ones, cost and schedule.

 

The project will paid for out of the Facilities Management Department’s budget. Grimes said work would start as soon as the court approves the contract.