Construction is underway Sept. 26 at 2222 N. Alamo St. for the new district support operations building. The $55 million building will open as early as March. Kimberly Caballero
Information technology, police and facilities will be among first to move into new location.
By Kimberly Caballero
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The new district support operations complex could be ready to house district operations by March.
A $55 million budget for the district support operations complex was approved July 2015 by the Alamo Colleges board of trustees.
The DSO building at 2222 N. Alamo St. is a headquarters to house the district’s operation employees, said John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of facilities and construction management.
The board of trustees approved the May 17, 2016, minute order awarding the contract to Skanska USA Building, Inc.
Also, under the minute order is a DSO project summary.
It states the total project budget for the building and its furnishing is $55 million, funded by revenue bonds.
A revenue bond is a bond issued to a revenue-producing property by a public agency.
The bond is payable by any revenue the property receives.
The summary lists the budget distribution as follows: $7 million for “moving costs, building permit costs, construction materials testing, furniture, fixtures and equipment, project contingency, etc.”; “$3 million estimated architect and engineering design fees”; and “$45 million construction manager at risk guaranteed maximum price.”
The district website dedicated to building updates can be found at https://newdso.blog/.
The website has a slideshow presentation titled “DSO Building Townhall Presentation,” which includes a site plan, a timeline of the building’s process and a list of district departments that will move into the building.
The slideshow states planned occupancy is November or December, while the website’s homepage states expected move-in January or February.
Strybos said in a Sept. 18 interview that district administration will probably begin moving into the building in March.
Ideally, everything will be completed and everyone moved in by June 1 if move-in begins March 1, he said.
Strybos listed the current location of several district departments.
Killen Center houses the chancellor’s office, the legal office, human resources, the board room and others; the facilities department off Pat Booker houses financial aid, student leadership, the call center and others, he said.
There are also other buildings at other locations throughout Bexar County.
“That really means we are scattered all over the county,” Strybos said.
“It means if (then Chancellor Bruce) Leslie calls people for a meeting, they can be 30 minutes away on a good day and the meeting could be done in 30 minutes,” he said.
“So, it makes it really hard to work face-to-face.
“We can call each other and talk to each other, and we do that, but to have us all in the same building — the same place and space — that’s what this does.”
Information technology, police and facilities generally move in first to prepare the building for everyone else, Strybos said.
The construction’s final cost is $45 million.
The remaining $10 million went to architects, engineers, design consultants, information technology, furniture, fixtures, equipment and everything else to make the building operational, he said.
