The background
The city of Georgetown conducted a study in 2023 to assess the need for government facilities to support its over 900 full-time employees, Bettiol said.
“Over the last 10 years we have had exponential growth here in the city of Georgetown,” Bettiol said. “In lockstep with that, we have had growth to try to keep up with that with city staffing as well.”
The study found that city facilities are at or near their full capacity, and more space is needed to accommodate the up to 448 new employees expected in the next 15 years.
About the project
The Customer Service Center will bring together the following departments:
- Customer Care
- Fire Inspections
- Building Inspections
- Code Enforcement
- Planning
- Ask GTX
- Human Resources
- Economic Development
- Internet Technologies
- Systems Engineering
- Real estate
- Remote police office
“With our growing need for security, for our data center in itself, with AI coming in and what the demands are going to be, this was a great opportunity for us to make sure that we ... were going to be meeting all of the changing environment of IT,” Bettiol said.
The city has plans for a 75,567-square-foot building to accommodate a projected 283 employees associated with the Customer Service Center departments in the next 10 years. Preliminary plans also show retail and meeting space.
With a $56 million budget, the building will be funded through a 2023 voter-approved bond.
What else?
In collaboration with Southwestern University, Georgetown plans to locate the new facility in the first phase of SU 560. The development plans to integrate retail, offices, research facilities, housing, arts, green space and trails on a tract of land directly to the east of the university.
Phase 1A will develop 67 acres of the 560-acre property, and is in the early planning and design phase.
“I think it's going to be a really wonderful addition to our community, and we’re excited to be a part of it,” Bettiol said.
Georgetown is working with SU 560 developer Banbury as planning progresses to coordinate construction, roads, utility and other infrastructure needs.
“It’s really important since we’re going to be first-in as a part of this development, that we are part of making sure that all the needs are available when we start to turn dirt,” Bettiol said.
What’s next
City staff will bring renderings and layouts for the building to City Council early next year, Bettiol said. In the meantime, the city is working on soliciting a construction manager at risk.
The building is projected to open in early 2028, Bettiol said.
