FORNEY, Texas — A vote by the Forney City Council on Tuesday night will the new animal shelter and adoption center one step closer to beginning construction later this year.
FORNEY, Texas — A vote by the Forney City Council on Tuesday night will the new animal shelter and adoption center one step closer to beginning construction later this year.
The council unanimously approved a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for construction manager at-risk services to construct the animal shelter. The construction manager at-risk would then evaluate the plans, make any adjustments, and put the project out for bid.
City officials expect construction to begin in early winter 2015 with completion slated for sometime in 2016.
The 5,500-square foot animal shelter will also serve as an animal adoption center with a proposed 24 dog kennels and two cat rooms — one for domestic cats and the other for feral cats.
The shelter will be constructed at the site of the current shelter located on Holly Leaf Trail near Centenary Drive.
In 2012, Ron Hobbs Architects, the firm tasked with designing the center, received soft bids in the range of $1.7 million to $1.8 million for construction. Due to inflation and the rising cost of construction, Hobbs estimates the cost could be around $2 million, however, savings could be found in the project once the construction manager was selected, he said.
In late 2014, the City of Forney issued $2 million in certificates of obligation earmarked for the construction of the animal shelter.
The shelter’s design includes an available expansion area at the rear of the facility for more kennels, if the need is presented and funds are available.
The city currently owns approximately four-and-a-half acres at the site of the current animal shelter. In 2012, when the shelter was first discussed, Hobbs presented an optional dog park that could be built at a later time adjacent to the animal shelter. The dog park proposed to separate enclosed dog parks — one for small dogs and the other for larger dogs.
Funding for the dog park, which included design elements for restroom facilities for the park, water fountains, landscaping, a pond, and trails, estimated at $880,000 was not included in the issuance of the certificates of obligation.