The Cy-Fair Fire Department's plan to build eight new fire stations could be delayed by up to a year as the Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 board, the taxing entity that supports the department's services, re-evaluates its architectural options.
During a Dec. 19 meeting, the five-commissioner board voted 3-2 to review the qualifications of other architects, possibly breaking ties with Martinez Architects, which has partnered with CFFD on its construction projects for several years. Commissioner Kevin Stertzel proposed exploring other options.
Choosing a new architect could significantly delay the construction of all new fire stations, as it would require an entirely new design and approval from Harris County, CFFD Fire Chief Amy Ramon said during the Jan. 23 meeting.
Ricardo Martinez, president of Martinez Architects, said he plans to pursue the opportunity to continue working with the department.
The background
CFFD’s original plan was to build eight new stations by 2031, building two stations simultaneously to accommodate population growth and decrease emergency response time.
Commissioner Bevin Gordon, the board’s longest-serving member, voted against pursuing other architects and said she’s never seen a best-case scenario play out in a construction project timeline.
“I hoped the board would proceed with two station builds with [Martinez Architects] to keep pace with community and call volume growth,” Gordon said. “We will delay our station builds while we develop, promote and analyze the [quote request]. If we select a new architect, further delays will result while new station plans are being developed.”
The recommendation to add eight new fire stations and more staff over the next few years came after Citygate Associates, a California-based consulting firm that works with local government entities nationwide, delivered a report to the board in 2023.
The Citygate report concluded the CFFD’s three main challenges are:
- Deployment needs and projected growth
- Headquarters support capacity being understaffed
- Long-term fiscal operations and planning
“CFFD command staff and board of commissioners analyzed the study findings and developed a multi-year strategic implementation plan,” Gordon said. “I hope we stay on pace with our strategic plan while meeting the needs of our community and the members of the CFFD. ... We do that best when we protect the hard-earned reputation of the CFFD, which helps us attract and retain the most highly qualified public safety professionals and industry partners.”
CFFD estimated that building and staffing eight new stations would cost approximately $138.24 million, which would come from ESD No. 9's reserves. In 2023, CFFD Chief of Operations Brent Scalise said officials have been setting aside funds for years in preparation for this expansion.
What we know
According to the department's plans, the approximate locations for the eight proposed fire stations are as follows:
- Station 14: Mound Road and Greenhouse Road
- Station 15: Hwy. 529 and the Grand Parkway
- Station 16: Round Up Lane near Beltway 8
- Station 17: North Bridgeland Parkway near the Grand Parkway
- Station 18: Near West Road and the Grand Parkway
- Station 19: Telge Road and Louetta Road
- Station 20: Near the Stone Creek Ranch neighborhood
- Station 21: Telge Road and Port Erroll Road
“[They] are the highest priority to provide call volume relief to stations on the west side of ESD 9 and keep response times faster than industry standards,” Gordon said.
Chevron donated the land for Station 17 and expects the CFFD to break ground in 2025, officials said.
During a Jan. 23 meeting, Scalise said accomplishing that timeline would be difficult if the board is looking for new architects. As a result, the board voted for CFFD to renegotiate with Martinez Architects to continue working exclusively on Station 17 while exploring other architects for the remaining stations.
“Ricardo Martinez built high-quality fire stations for the CFFD for years before I began my first term as commissioner in May of 2020,” Gordon said. “His team is responsive to our needs and routinely provides service hours beyond his contractual obligations. ... Ricardo’s team has met or exceeded our standards.”
Stay tuned
In February, the board of commissioners is expected interview and listen to presentations from other architects for Stations 14-16 and 18-21 while Ramon and the CFFD command staff renegotiate with Martinez Architects to continue work on Station 17. A special meeting has been called for Feb. 4 at 6 p.m.
Editor Danica Lloyd contributed to this story.
