The Sugar Land City Council has a long-established goal of being recognized as a “Regional Business Center of Excellence.” This goal is acknowledged in the City’s Comprehensive Plan, including an objective to develop the former Central Unit prison as a business park – particularly since the highly successful 1,000-acre Sugar Land Business Park is nearing capacity. In 2007 City leaders began working with the State of Texas to seek closure of the prison facility, which was accomplished in 2011 as a result of legislative efforts.

The 2011 closure of the Central Unit led to the sale in 2017 of 258 acres by the Texas General Land Office to the City of Sugar Land. Of the property available, approximately 95 acres were acquired by the Sugar Land Regional Airport through federal funding, administered by TxDOT aviation, for western access and aviation purposes. Additionally, approximately 22 acres were identified as a location for a future public safety training facility. Another 21 acres of the State’s proposal is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of SH6 and US90A, which is isolated from the remaining property and is undevelopable wetlands. The remaining 121 approximate acres are now considered available for the development of an industrial business park.

Due diligence work was conducted prior to the City’s purchase of the property. The City engaged ESE Partners, LLC to perform a 2014 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and a 2015 II Environmental Site Assessment for the entire 258 acres. The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment revealed the need for a Cultural Resources Study, which was completed by ESE Partners and Goshawk Environmental Consulting, Inc. in 2015. The Cultural Resources Study led to findings by the Texas Historical Commission that required (1) a 0.09-acre area located on the northwest portion of the site near Oyster Creek (the “Dog Kennel” area) must be archeologically monitored if disturbed, and (2) that any alterations to the Main Building must be submitted for THS for review. Another 5.045-acre area located at the far southwestern corner of the airport property (the “Walker Railroad Station” area) was also restricted to archaeological monitoring if disturbed, but is not currently part of the future business park.

After the City’s purchase of the property, ESE Partners, LLC was engaged through smaller contracts to provide Demolition Planning Services (October 2016) and an Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM’s) Survey (April 2017) for the future 121-acre business park property only. Of the more than 100 buildings on the prison site, 56 were found to contain ACM’s through state and federally approved sampling methods and laboratory analyses. The survey noted the location and type of asbestos found, based on a variety of common construction materials used during the period from 1930 - 1968, such as roofing, drywall, carpeting, insulation, window glazing, and other mastics. The survey did not include sampling of 14 buildings previously identified to possibly be utilized in the interim or preserved, under the assumption that asbestos abatement for these structures would be individually addressed in the future.

The proposed ESE contract is the last step needed in advance of actual asbestos removal and demolition contracting work for the future 121-acre business park site. The proposed scope of work anticipates (1) completion of the supplemental asbestos survey work for the 14 aforementioned buildings, including the Main Building complex, (2) preparation of bid specifications for asbestos removal and demolition, (3) assistance with bid package preparation, the pre-bid conference, and any on-site pre-bid property tours, (4) professional evaluation of bid proposals and contractor qualifications, (5) on-site asbestos air monitoring services as required by the Texas Department of State Health Services, and (6) archeological monitoring services for the “Dog Kennel” area as required by the Texas Historical Commission.

The ESE Partners, LLC professional services contract is recommended for approval. City staff anticipates completion of the asbestos survey work and the pre-bid services by the end of the calendar year. Once completed and following a 30-day notice required to advertise the asbestos removal and demolition contracting work, City Council will be asked to consider approval of the site demolition contract. Clearing the Central Unit Prison site of all buildings except the Main Building will make the property more attractive for prospective respondents to a future Request for Statements of Interest (RSI) expected to be issued by the City in 2018. The intent regarding the Main Building complex is to determine adaptive reuse feasibility through the future RSI process.

The amount of the contract shall not exceed $122,450. The Sugar Land Development Corporation will be the source of funding for the contract. The Sugar Land Development Corporation adopted a funding resolution (2016-11-07), allowing for up to $500,000 for expenses related to the development of the industrial park, including environmental assessment and remediation of buildings and land on the site, building demolition and removal, and archaeological studies and state required historic preservation. Funding was budgeted in the FY 2017 CIP, project MU1707.