Jersey Village City Council members approved a guaranteed maximum price of $8.1 million for the first phase of the City Campus project at an Oct. 27 meeting. The vote was 4-1, with council member Simon Hughes opposed. According to meeting documents, the total cost for phase one, including construction, architecture and engineering fees, is $9.3 million.
The city issued no new debt for the phase, since its funding was adopted in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget on Aug. 18. Finance Director Jennifer Brown said the general fund balance is expected to be $4.64 million at the end of the fiscal year, which is $846,000 above required reserves. The project has seen three unsuccessful bond proposals, in 1990, 2002 and November 2025.
Phase one includes renovations to two buildings, a new lobby, demolition of three buildings and site improvements. Dec. 1 is the anticipated notice-to-proceed date, and construction should take eight months, according to meeting documents. Hughes said he had favored bond funds so the city could move into phase two sooner. City Manager Austin Bleess said staff has told groups that use some current spaces that the arrangement is temporary.