Primary Department: Commissioner, Precinct 4
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Commissioner Lesley Briones
Managing Department: Commissioner, Precinct 4
Managing Department Head/Elected Official: Commissioner Lesley Briones
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: $400,000
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 $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.
end
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.
It was recommended in the assessment report to demolish and replace 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 plus provide allowances for additional services.
• Provide enhanced and expanded space for a dedicated Harris County Constable Precinct 5 office plus 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 the building is situated on 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, sufficient space to accommodate traffic queues that occur in conjunction with food and water distribution activities during major storm events, and 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 Preliminary Investment Memo is requesting funding to complete the following activities.
• Cost of environmental consulting, abatement, and demolition of the existing structure 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 |
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Detailed Design - Tracy Gee Community Center (Previously Approved) |
$1,500,000 |
December 2026 |
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Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Management Fee - Tracy Gee Community Center (Previously Approved) |
$300,000 |
December 2026 |
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Land Purchase - 3603 Westcenter Drive (Previously Approved) |
$1,800,000 |
May 2025 |
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Total - Previously Approved |
$4,000,000 |
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Environmental Consulting, Abatement, and Demolition of Existing Structure at 3603 Westcenter Drive |
$400,000 |
December 2025 |
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Total - This Investment Memo |
$400,000 |
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Total Authorization Requested |
$4,400,000 |
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Total - Future Investment Memo(s) in FY26 |
$10,600,000 |
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Grand Total |
$15,000,000 |
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Assuming approval of this item, an amount of $4,675,000 will remain available for Precinct 4 for the FY24-25 period, and we expect to allocate this to the Tracy Gee Community Center project. 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 improve quality of life for constituents by providing enhanced recreational services and critical assistance in disasters.
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: Enhance safety and accessibility for visitors of Tracy Gee Community Center.
• 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 identified above.
The two potential alternatives are below:
1. Delaying the Project: Postponing this replacement for a year could exacerbate existing issues and increase repair costs.
2. Not Doing the Project: Failing to renovate would negatively impact constituent services and experience.
However, the impacts of either alternative are:
• Structural Integrity: Without intervention the building's condition will continue to age, potentially affecting long-term usability.
• 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: Precinct 4 will engage the following stakeholders:
• Community Members: Ensuring their needs and concerns are addressed.
• Constable Office: Facilitating their operational requirements.
• Universal Services and Facilities & Property Maintenance: 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):
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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): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): H4: Consistently embed sustainability considerations in the project planning and design process.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Decision Analysis Matrix Score (rubric on last page):
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 $3,700,000. |
Address: 3599 Westcenter Dr. Houston, TX 77042
Precinct(s): Precinct 4
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
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Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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$ |
$ |
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$ |
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$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request |
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Commercial Paper |
$ |
$700,000 |
$700,000 |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$700,000 |
$700,000 |
$ |
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Total Funding Request |
$ |
$700,000 |
$700,000 |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
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Anticipated Court Date: 6/12/2025
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, Assistant County Attorney, 1/9/2025
Department Approval by: Jonathan Castrejon, Finance Director - Commissioner Precinct 4
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 6/2/2025
________________________________________
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: Commissioner, Precinct 4
Project PeopleSoft ID: MF3BB
CP Series Description: Commercial Paper Series D-3 can be used for (1) construction of public works, (2) the purchase of automobiles, equipment and machinery, including computers, materials and supplies for the operation of the County’s precincts and departments (3) Professional services, including services provided by engineers, architects, attorneys, auditors, financial advisors, and fiscal agents, in connection with the contractual obligations described in (1) and (2).
Commercial Paper is being requested for the Tracy Gee Community Center Renovation project and is expected to be repaid within the next three fiscal years either through bonds, budgetary means or pay-as-you-go sources.
OMB Financial Management contact: Amy Perez, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Management and Budget
Decision Analysis Matrix scoring tool - Commissioners Court has approved the rubric below for scoring capital projects. Please complete the last two rows for OMB review.
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Scoring option |
Strategic Plan alignment (3x weighting) |
Evidence base |
Impact on outcomes |
Cost effectiveness |
Ease of implementation |
Collaboration / partnerships |
Environmental sustainability |
Equity |
Total |
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-1 |
Antithetical to one or more aspects of the Strategic Plan |
Evidence shows net negative impact on the intended goal |
Impact is clearly negative |
Costs expected (or shown) to outweigh benefits |
County has no/limited existing capabilities and dependencies are likely to impede |
Could negatively impact relationships with partners |
Negatively impacts environment and/or climate change mitigation efforts |
Inequitable |
n/a |
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0 |
Does not align to a Strategic Objective |
Evidence base is not well defined or measurable |
Size of impact on one or more strategic outcomes is negligible or unclear |
Net comparison is unclear |
County has no/limited existing capabilities or dependencies are likely to impede |
Does not involve collaboration with partners |
Net neutral impact on environment and/or climate change mitigation efforts |
Does not consider equity to a meaningful degree |
n/a |
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1 |
Aligns to a Strategic Objective but not to a Strategic Initiative |
Limited evidence-based research on outcomes; may have qualitative/theoretical support |
Outcomes are defined but without target levels and/or expected impact is moderate |
Moderate direct/indirect benefit relative to costs |
County has existing capability to implement or dependencies are unlikely to impede |
Moderately expands County leverage through collaboration with partner(s) |
Marginally positive impact on environment and/or climate change mitigation efforts |
Considers equity to a meaningful degree, but not comprehensively |
n/a |
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2 |
Aligns to a Strategic Objective and a Strategic Initiative |
Outcomes are directly supported by evidence base or credible research supports anticipated outcomes |
Outcomes are clearly defined and include target levels; expected impact on outcomes is high |
Significant direct/indirect benefit relative to costs |
County has existing capability to implement and dependencies are unlikely to impede |
Significantly expands County leverage through collaboration with partner(s) |
Positively impacts environment and/or climate change mitigation efforts |
Considers equity meaningfully and comprehensively |
n/a |
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Score (-1,0,1,2) |
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Rationale |
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n/a |