How it happened
The Spellman Detention Basin is a stormwater detention basin along the Fondren Diversion Channel near Westbury's Willow Waterhole.
According to Engage Houston, the project is intended to reduce the risk of future flood losses, including loss of mobility consistent with disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure, housing and economic revitalization.
In September, Houston City Council approved the purchase of the $1.4 million tract of land located at the 6400 block of West Bellfort Avenue, which adds 208 acre-feet of detention.
Project funding
The total amount of funding for the project is $16.5 million.
According to the Feb. 21 agenda, $2.5 million of those funds are being drawn from the Dedicated Drainage and Street Renewal Capital Fund while $14.2 million is coming from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program.
The roughly $14 million construction bid was awarded to the second lowest bidder after the city found Serco Construction Group, the lowest bidder at $11.4 million, to be unresponsive.
Next steps
Construction is slated to start on the detention basin sometime in 2024. An exact date has not been announced, but the contract date for this project is 357 calendar days. It is expected to be complete by 2025.
According to Engage Houston, a virtual community meeting is expected to be held after the construction bid is awarded to provide further project details to the public.
