“We’ve seen a 20 percent rise [in construction costs] since last year already,” said Chad McDowell, Round Rock General Services director. “Which is huge when you’re talking $20 million projects.”
McDowell said although city staffers are trying to get the projects started as quickly as possible, they are doing their due diligence.
“We are doing everything we can to get [the building projects] up and get them out,” he said. “But we’re doing it right. We’re not doing it so fast we’re hurting ourselves.”
McDowell said the city is working on several bond projects, such as the Rock’N River Family Aquatic Center expansion and multiple fire stations. The city is also constructing an expansion to the Round Rock Sports Center, which is funded through the Hotel Occupancy Tax. McDowell said more projects, like a police and fire training facility are on the horizon.
McDowell said balancing the projects can be a challenge.
“Right now we are maxed out,” he said. “As these projects are built, we’ll take on additional projects and keep going… We’re just going to keep building and have the infrastructure for the population growth.”
Projects in Round Rock
Round Rock Sports Center Building B
Budget: $1.2 million
Status: under construction
Estimated completion: December
Chad McDowell, Round Rock General Services director, said city staffers always intended to build the Building B enhancement, but that they did not have the funds to do so in the original construction plan.
“We always planned to do this family entertainment center,” McDowell said. “It’s a place we could take all the kids and the parents and give them a place to go.”
McDowell said the Building B enhancement will give attendees a place to go when the center gets more than 3,000 visitors.
McDowell said the city moved forward with the expansion because the center has become popular.
“We’re getting the attendance we want so we’re going to our next project, which is the Building B project,” he said.
Two Fire Stations
Budget: $4 million (bidded as package)
Status: November start dates
Estimated completion: December 2016
Shane Glasier, Round Rock Fire Department battalion chief, said the new fire stations located on Red Bud Lane and Lisa Rae Drive, near Gattis School Road, will help the department achieve its desired response times on Round Rock’s east side.
“Our goal is to have a good response time to any emergency,” Glasier said. “With our current setup, the Red Bud-Forest Creek area has an extended response time.”
Glasier said the fire department worked with the city’s Geographic Information Systems department to find the optimal locations for the new stations. McDowell said finding land for the fire stations was a challenge since no land was for sale when city staffers started looking.
“We knocked on doors [in the area],” McDowell said. “We got lucky there was a person who wanted to sell.”
Rock’N River Family Aquatic Center expansion
Budget: $6.7 million
Status: under construction
Estimated completion: May 1
Construction on the city-run water park will add new amenities, such as areas for teens and adults, as well as a new play structure that city staff say will double the capacity of the park.
“Right now we’ve got pretty much all the infrastructure in place,” said Rick Atkins, Parks and Recreation Department director. “In the next three weeks when we get our pool season closed down, that’s when you’ll see a lot of major progress.”
Atkins said there have been no complaints from park users while contractors work on the expansion.
“We’ve got posters everywhere showing people what’s coming. They seem to be really excited about the project itself,” he said. “People can’t wait for next summer.”
Atkins said the expansion is on schedule despite rain early in the process.
