Government
BY AUBREY VOGEL
$1.31M design contract underway for voter- approved animal shelter At an April 15 meeting, Sugar Land City Coun- cil approved a $1.31 million design agreement with PGAL Inc. for the city’s animal shelter. The $20 million shelter will be located in Imperial Park along Hwy. 90A, said Lane Wolf, senior manager of vertical construction for Sugar Land. The details The 26,000-square-foot building will be able to house 80 dogs and 122 cats, up from the existing shelter that holds 31 dogs and 64 cats, Wolf said. The design contract includes schematic design for the building and on-site parking, construction documents and administration, and surveying, per agenda documents. The funding A $9 million shelter was initially approved by voters in the November 2019 bond, although rising construction costs and changes in animal care standards increased the shelter cost by $11.36 million, city officials previously said. Firefighters to receive 6% pay increase Missouri City City Council approved the second reading of the firefighter pay plan ordinance at an April 21 meeting to ensure the city is retaining and recruiting qualified staff. The first reading was approved at an April 7 meeting. The last pay increase for firefighters was approved by City Council last May following the results of a 2023 salary study. The study results showed the majority of Missouri City employee salaries were at the bottom of the region. A closer look The ordinance increases the annual base for firefighters from $61,936 to $64,104, which is up nearly 26.8% since 2022, per agenda documents. The raises were set to go into effect May 4, after press time.
Construction to begin on all-abilities park The Galaxy All Abilities Park is moving forward after delays following high bid numbers, county officials said. At two April meetings, Fort Bend County commissioners approved construction contracts for the park. A closer look The nearly $1.7 million space-themed park aims to be accessible for all children, includ- ing those with disabilities. The 1.29-acre park’s features will include sensory walls, interactive equipment and tactile elements. The park is funded by the county’s 2020 and 2023 parks bonds, county officials previ- ously said. The Sugar Land park is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, officials said in an email.
New animal shelter site
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Shelter features include:
An adoption area
Workstations
Holding and isolation areas Staff and volunteer locker room
Laundry and food storage
Breakroom
SOURCE: SUGAR LAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT
The shelter will now be paid for with a combina- tion of funds from the 2019 and 2024 bonds, and $2.4 million in fundraising from the city’s Animal
Advisory Board. Looking ahead
Design will take place throughout the rest of this year, with construction expected to begin in early 2026, Wolf said. Construction is anticipated to wrap up in early 2027.
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Lexington Commons development to bring medical offices, retail near Smart Financial Centre
At an April 15 meeting, Sugar Land City Council approved the second reading of an ordinance to rezone 8.041 acres from a single-family residential district to a planned development district for the proposed Lexington Commons development. The development from Planned Community Developers would be located in Telfair near Smart Financial Centre, Sugar Land Senior Planner Jessica Echols said. The property is adjacent to the recently announced University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A closer look The mixed-use site will be developed in two phases including: • Phase 1: two office buildings and a parking garage • Phase 2: an office building and a parking garage
The development will feature:
A centrally- located pedestrian plaza
Professional and medical offices
Restaurants and retail
SOURCE: SUGAR LAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT
What’s next? Construction on the first phase is anticipated to begin this fall, PCD officials said. “We’ve heard from residents about their desire for walkable professional and retail space near Telfair, and we’re excited to bring Lexington Commons to meet this need,” PCD President Don Janssen said.
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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION
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