Kevin O’Connor Kommentary July 16

Brazos County Commission Awards A Demolition Contract That Includes Taking Down The Former Bryan ISD Administration Building

The days are numbered for the former Bryan ISD administration building in downtown Bryan. Brazos County commissioners, who in November 2021 bought the original bank building, awarded a demolition contract at its April ninth meeting. Before the unanimous vote, commissioners Steve Aldrich and Nancy Berry brought up the implosion of the former Plaza Hotel at Texas and University that took place in May 2012. Berry, who was College Station mayor, pressed the button that brought down the 17 story structure. The contract breaks down the cost to $264,000 dollars to demolish and clear the site at Texas Avenue and William Joel Bryan Parkway, another $40,000 to remove two portable buildings at the juvenile justice center, and $7,000 to remove from the county jail, what was described as a “center house”. The demolition contract follows the commission’s vote in December 2023 to award a contract to design a new building at the former site of the BISD/bank building. At that time, county judge Duane Peters said a final decision had not been made as to who will occupy the new building. Click HERE to read and download the demolition contract approved during the April 9, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting. Click below to hear comments from the April 9, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting.  

Bryan City Council Awards Contracts For Projects Affecting Old Reliance And Mumford Roads

A design contract was approved during the April ninth Bryan city council regular meeting to extend the widening of Old Reliance Road from Austin’s Colony Parkway to the east city limits. City engineer Paul Kaspar says the design includes making Old Reliance a four lane divided road, extending a ten foot wide shared use path, and replacing a culvert over Carter’s Creek. Click HERE to read and download background information about the Old Reliance Road design contract. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials shown during the April 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting. Click HERE to read and download the design contract. At the same meeting, the Bryan council selected a construction company to extend an 18 inch water line along Mumford Road past the Bryan ISD career and technical education center and to the site of the CertainTeed roofing plant and distribution center that is under construction. Public works director Jayson Barfknecht says the council in May will consider finalizing an agreement approved April 18th by the Bryan Brazos County economic development foundation. Barfknecht says the city is managing the contract and the foundation is reimbursing the city for the $1.7 million dollar construction cost. Click HERE to read and download background information about the Mumford Road waterline extension. Click HERE to read and download the construction contract. Click HERE to read and download a map of the Mumford Road waterline construction area. Click below to hear comments from the April 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.  

College Station City Council Receives An Update On Getting Another State Historical Marker

The city of College Station is another step closer to getting a state historical commission plaque. A member of the Brazos County historical commission, Sherry Frisk, provided an update during the city council’s April 11th meeting for a marker recognizing the city. Frisk said that they did not send many revisions to the state of what the marker will say. The marker includes references to the first family settling in 1831, the opening of Texas A&M in 1876, College Station’s incorporation in 1938, and the population growth from 2,200 in 1940 to more than 120,000 in 2020. When the state plaque arrives, it will be placed on or near College Station city hall. Click below to hear comments from Sherry Frisk during the April 11, 2024 meeting of the College Station city council.