Sugar Land officials hear community feedback on T.E. Harman Center expansion plans

Sugar Land officials hosted a Jan. 29 open house to hear community feedback on plans for the T.E. Harman Center’s expansion.

Zooming in

Talks of expanding the senior center are coming after a 300% increase in membership since 2011 and a doubling in program participation over the last five years, said William Hajdik, interim director of Parks and Recreation.

The growth in the senior center’s programs—which include yoga, dance and language classes—has resulted in overcrowded conditions, with long lines and difficult registration forcing staff to prioritize resident registration, Hajdik said. The space limitation also prevents program expansion and schedule adjustments.

Following community input and analysis, BRW Architects—the firm responsible for designing the expansion—determined space, functionality and visibility to be among the most important needs for the project, BRW Senior Associate Emily Murphy said.

Murphy said the firm came up with three options: one that would build on top of the existing building and two that would build completely new buildings.

• Option 1: Adds 10,800 square feet (21,554 square feet total), 765-person occupancy; $14.5 million
• Option 2: 19,800 square feet in new build, 765-person occupancy; $15.7 million
• Option 3: 30,150 square feet in new build, 980-person occupancy; $24 million

The most likely funding source would come from a bond election, Hajdik said.

What they’re saying

At-Large council member Jim Vonderhaar said he’s happy with the project’s progress and hopes the city will find a way to accommodate the growing senior community.

“We need to consider the future,” Vonderhaar said.

Several residents raised concerns about the first option, which would shut down the Harman Center for 12-18 months as renovations occur.

“That’ll put us in heart failure,” Paul Powell, a senior center member, said. “People depend on this daily. And in our age and states, it’s kind of like ‘Oh my God, what am I gonna do now?’ Mentally, it’s gonna really affect them.”

And while both Vonderhaar and District 1 council member Suzanne Whatley said no decision has been made yet, both emphasized the importance of a temporary senior center if Option 1 is chosen.

“When you close a facility like this for 12 to 18 months, the people that are using it will not come back,” Vonderhaar said. “We have to give them something.”

What’s next

A final report will be presented to the Parks, Art, Recreation, Culture and Streetscapes Board in March or April, Hajdik said.

But it will take some time to start construction, Whatley said.

“This is a long-term project, it’s not going to happen this year or next,” Whatley said.

Once approved, construction will take about 12-18 months, though timeframes could vary depending on the option chosen, Vonderhaar said.