Hutto City Council advances Justice Center project with $1.56M design agreement

Hutto officials approved a $1.56 million design contract with PBK Architecture, moving the city’s long-planned Justice Center from programming into full architectural design.

What’s happening?

The move comes after council members previously raised concerns that postponing design work until after a bond election could drive up construction costs.

During the discussion, interim city engineer Patricia Davis said PBK was selected from the city’s preapproved architecture rotation list and has experience designing police facilities.

“PBK will take the project through the full design phase and provide support tied to the city’s anticipated November 2026 bond election,” Davis told council.

Davis also addressed questions about the reduced design cost compared to earlier estimates, noting that the overall project cost has declined, making the design fee proportional to the current scope.

“The estimated cost of the structure has also come down, so it’s not a $55 million proposal at this point in time,” she said. “Percentage-wise, it’s a little bit less, but dollar-wise it’s a lot less because the overall cost of the project has come down.”

What’s next

PBK Architecture is expected to begin work immediately, with a project kickoff meeting scheduled for next week.

Design milestones are planned throughout 2026, with construction documents targeted to be completed ahead of the city’s proposed November bond election.

Davis said the firm understands the city’s expectations around pace and responsiveness.

“PBK is fully aware of the speed and the agility that the city of Hutto expects for this project,” she said, adding that the team is prepared to accelerate deliverables if needed to meet bond-related deadlines.

Council members also requested more frequent updates as design work progresses. City staff said they will incorporate more regular updates into the project schedule.

If timelines hold, construction could begin in 2027, with substantial completion targeted for mid-2028.