Primary Department: Commissioner, Precinct 4
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Lesley Briones, Commissioner
Managing Department: Commissioner, Precinct 4
Managing Department Head/Elected Official: Lesley Briones, Commissioner
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Preliminary Investment Memo
Project Name: Tracy Gee Community Center Renovation
Project ID (if applicable): MF3BB
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Incremental Authorization Requested: $325,000
Total Estimated Project Cost: $15,000,000
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of a Preliminary Investment Memo for the Tracy Gee Community Center Renovation for an additional amount of $325,000 for a total authorization of $4,725,000.
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Project Description:
The existing Tracy Gee Community Center, located at 3599 Westcenter Drive, is one of seven community centers located within Precinct 4. The existing building, constructed in 1983 and last renovated in 1996/97, is approximately 20,000 square feet in floor area. The current request is for detailed designs to address the issues identified in the previous schematic design phase.
During the previous schematic design phase, Precinct 4 engaged STOA Architects to complete a Building and Site Assessment report for the facility. Below are the key findings from the report.
? The existing structural floor slab lacks adequate steel reinforcement and interior grade beams, resulting in the building's foundation to be sloped.
? There is inadequate lateral bracing in the building superstructure, affecting the structure's wind resistance. If sufficiently strong winds were to occur, such as during a hurricane, the building structure may be compromised.
? The building lacks a code-compliant fire sprinkler system.
? There are over 40 ADA code violations noted in the building. Remediating these violations requires extensive and intrusive remodeling of all the building's walls and doors.
? Many mechanical and electrical code violations exist in the building, including placement of an electrical switch gear in the same room as the facility's hot water heater.
In addition to the issues uncovered during the assessment report, additional operational and functional challenges exist.
? The layout of the existing building consists of many small rooms, greatly limiting the services and activities that Precinct 4 staff can provide to the community.
? Many of the rooms and facilities in the building do not meet current service needs. For example, a weekly square dance class is one of the most popular activities hosted by Precinct 4 in the facility. However, the largest room in the building is not sufficiently large to accommodate demand nor is a dance floor provided for users.
? There have been several motor vehicle incidents in front of the building due to a confusing parking layout. The latest collision occurred in February 2024, causing extensive damage to the property and rendering an activity room unusable. Another collision occurred in 2012 in the same location, also causing significant damage.
? The existing Constable Precinct 5 office is only accessible from the exterior and is in poor condition compared to the rest of the building.
? Extremely limited office space exists for Precinct 4 staff, requiring team members to share desks.
? The current building cannot serve as a warming or cooling center during a power outage due to a lack of a whole building generator.
? The existing parking lot and roadway circulation patterns do not permit the facility to function effectively as a food and water distribution site during storm events.
To rectify the deficiencies and challenges listed above, the assessment report recommends demolishing and replacing the Tracy Gee Community Center with a newly constructed facility.
The proposed replacement facility will meet the following goals and objectives:
? Provide a revitalized community facility that is inviting and functional for all users, better aligning the spaces within the building to the services and activities provided by Precinct 4 and provide allowances for additional services.
? Provide enhanced and expanded space for a dedicated Harris County Constable Precinct 5 office and provide a publicly accessible store front. The security infrastructure at the Tracy Gee Community Center is a critical investment to safeguard both the facility and its visitors.
? Allow the facility to function as a cooling/heating center and food and water distribution site during emergency events such as hurricanes and winter storms.
Currently, the tract of land where the building is situated is highly constrained, limiting potential building and parking area layouts. The Office of the County Engineer and the owner of 3603 Westcenter Drive have reached an agreement to sell this tract, increasing the land space available for a reimagined Community Center. The additional land also allows for a more efficient building layout on the site and sufficient space to accommodate traffic queues that occur in conjunction with food and water distribution activities during major storm events. Lastly, acquiring this land allows for the development of green space to benefit the users of the facility.
It is anticipated that the existing community center structure will need to be expanded from 20,000 square feet to 25,000 to 30,000 square feet to meet the goals and objectives listed above. The exact building square footage, layout, and furnishing requirements will be determined during the Schematic and Detailed Design phases of the project. Construction of the facility will be delivered through a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) method. This method engages the construction contractor during the design process, allowing them to provide input into the design while it is being developed. This engagement will help the project team to maintain the approved project budget and schedule, plus provide value engineering through the design process.
In Summary, this Investment Memo is requesting funding to complete the following activities.
* Costs of tree removal, surveying and re-platting efforts needed the existing property at 3603 Westcenter Drive.
A subsequent Investment Memo will be submitted in the future to Commissioners Court covering the Construction phase of the Tracy Gee Community Center project.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
Project Scope Breakdown
Estimated Cost
Estimated Completion
Schematic Design - Tracy Gee Community Center
(Previously Approved)
$400,000
March 2025
Detailed Design - Tracy Gee Community Center
(Previously Approved)
$1,500,000
December 2026
Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Management Fee - Tracy Gee Community Center (Previously Approved)
$300,000
December 2026
Land Purchase - 3603 Westcenter Drive (Previously Approved)
$1,800,000
May 2025
Environmental Consulting, Abatement, and Demolition of Existing Structure at 3603 Westcenter Drive (Previously Approved)
$400,000
December 2025
Total - Previously Approved
$4,400,000
Tree Removal, Surveying and Re-Platting of Adjacent Property - Tracy Gee Community Center
$325,000
January 2026
Total - This Investment Memo
$325,000
Total Authorization Requested
$4,725,000
Total - Future Investment Memo(s) in FY26
$10,275,000
Grand Total
$15,000,000
Assuming approval of this item, an amount of $0 will remain available for Precinct 4 for the FY24-25 period. The remaining project costs above and beyond this amount are expected to be covered through the FY26-27 biannual allocation of precinct general use non-voted debt, assuming the court maintains its current funding policy.
Justification & Alternatives:
Replacement of the existing Community Center will help to better serve the needs of constituents. Increased level of services for constituents through improved recreational facilities, better tailored to the needs of the community. Improve quality of life for constituents through providing enhanced recreational services.
This project supports the following Priority Outcomes and/or Goal Areas:
? Justice and Safety: Provide and implement comprehensive security measures to mitigate potential risks and ensure a secure environment for all events and activities, enhancing the center's reputation as a safe and reliable venue as well as during disaster times.
? Public Health: Mitigate potential health, safety and accessibility issues with the existing building.
? Governance and Customer Service: Provide enhanced services to the community through facility improvements.
The success of the project can be measured through the following performance metrics:
? Increased attendance by Precinct 4 residents at hosted activities and events.
? The ability to function as a warming or cooling center during power outages and other emergencies.
? Reduced energy consumption through efficient building envelopes, mechanical and electrical systems.
? This project is the best solution for addressing the issues and deficiencies identified above. Neglecting this replacement would lead to further deterioration of the building's structural integrity, posing potential safety risks to the community.
The two potential alternatives are below:
1. Delaying the Project: Postponing this replacement for a year could exacerbate existing issues, increasing repair costs and potentially leading to more severe structural damage.
2. Not Doing the Project: Failing to renovate would continue to endanger public safety and limit community services, further diminishing the building's utility and value.
However, the impacts of either alternative are:
? Structural Integrity: Without intervention, the building's condition will worsen, leading to a potential safety issue.
? Community Services: Limited space will continue to restrict community programming and operations of the constable office.
? Health and Safety: Precinct 4 does not possess a facility within the Alief area that can function as a cooling/heating center and food and water distribution site during storm events.
? Health and Safety: The existing Constable Precinct 5 office is not public facing, disallowing the opportunity for residents to engage with this service in an effective manner.
Stakeholder Engagement: We will engage the following stakeholders:
? Community Members: Ensuring their needs and concerns are addressed.
? Constable Office: Facilitating their operational requirements.
? Universal Services and Building Operating Services: Collaborating with these departments to evaluate and approve the project.
By addressing these issues now, we can ensure the building remains safe, functional, and beneficial for the entire community.
Anticipated Impact on Other Funds (If Applicable):
Fund Code
Description
Estimated Cost
Funding Method
(Existing or Future Budget Request Required)
Estimated Date of Needs
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-
$-
-
Total
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County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: H: Improve the condition and resilience of County transportation, flood control, and other infrastructure.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): H4: Consistently embed sustainability considerations in the project planning and design process.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N3: Promote increased physical activity of residents.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): T2: Make County buildings more energy efficient.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Previous Court Action:
Date
Agenda Item #
Action Taken
07/15/2024
24-4483
Approval of the Preliminary Investment Memo for the Tracy Gee Community Center Renovation project for an initial amount of $400,000 and request for approval of initial commercial paper funding in the amount of $400,000.
02/06/2025
25-0993
Request for approval of a Preliminary Investment Memo for the Tracy Gee Community Center Renovation project for an additional $1,800,000 for a total authorization of $2,200,000 and request for approval of commercial paper funding in the amount of $1,500,000 for a total allocation of $1,900,000
3/27/2025
25-1972
Request for approval of a Preliminary Investment Memo for the Tracy Gee Community Center Renovation for an additional amount of $1,800,000 for a total authorization of $4,000,000 and commercial paper funding in the amount of $1,800,000 for a total allocation of $3,700,000.
6/12/2025
25-3658
Request for approval of a Preliminary Investment Memo for the Tracy Gee Community Center Renovation for an additional amount of $400,000 for a total authorization of $4,400,000 and commercial paper funding in the amount of $700,000 for a total allocation of $4,400,000.
Address: 3599 Westcenter Dr. Houston, TX 77042
Precinct(s): Precinct 4
Fiscal and Personnel Summary
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs)
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Anticipated Court Date: 9/18/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, Special Assistant County Attorney, 1/9/2025
Department Approval by: Jonathan Castrejon, Finance Director, August 29th, 2025.
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 8/29/2025
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Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: N/A
Project PeopleSoft ID: N/A
CP Series Description: N/A
OMB Financial Management contact: N/A