Brazoria County Courthouse Campus Expansion

Owner: Brazoria County
Construction Manager: AG|CM
Architect: Burditt Land | Place
Architect: Brinkley Sargent Wiginton

 

When Brazoria County set out to expand its courthouse campus in Angleton, the goal was clear: to accommodate the community’s rapid population growth by combining county services in a modern, centralized location. SpawGlass-Houston took on the expansion as a multi-phase project that spanned more than four years and included demolition, renovation, new construction and upgrading existing infrastructure to accommodate the growing campus.

 

The project began with the demolition of an existing vacant building to clear space for the new five-level, 143,000-square-foot Administration Building. The new structure now houses jury empaneling areas, a Grand Jury room, Commissioners Court spaces, administrative offices, a law library, training rooms, a café and a data center, consolidating departments previously spread across multiple locations.

 

The initial phase also saw completion of a new Emergency Operations Center (EOC), a 15,000-square-foot, weather-hardened facility designed to serve as the county’s emergency response hub. The building is designed around a soundproof 60-person call center, with training rooms, offices, conference areas and a press room for real-time emergency broadcast communications.

 

The new 164,000-square-foot Justice Center expansion is connected by a two-level sky bridge to the Administration Building and houses courtrooms, attorney and judge offices, and judicial support spaces. The expanded space will also allow for a new district court to begin operations this year. Renovations were done to the existing Justice Center building, which was constructed in the 1940s, to seamlessly integrate the new addition and update the structure while preserving the historic integrity of its original design.

 

At the onset of construction for the Administration Building, unforeseen soil conditions necessitated a redesign of foundational elements. Our team jumped into action, consulting with structural and geotechnical engineers, conducting tests and identifying an innovative solution – a type of deep foundation called a ‘displacement pile system.’ 

 

As the project began during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions were another hurdle on our team’s track to completion. To negotiate the delayed delivery of air handler units, our team traveled to Monterrey, Mexico to meet with the manufacturer in person. In the interim, temporary air units were installed so the buildings could begin operations, with permanent units swapped in later without disruption.

 

Working with construction manager AG|CM, along with architects Burditt Land | Place and Brinkley Sargent Wiginton, we ensured each facility met the county’s goals while maintaining a cohesive design. Assistant Project Engineer for Brazoria County Karen McKinnon shared her perspective: “I was continuously impressed by this team and their commitment to ‘thinking like an owner.’ They truly had our best interests and goals in mind throughout the project.”

 

At the grand opening of the Justice Center on April 1, Project Executive Mike Bynum addressed the gathered crowd with a testament to living teamwork, stating: “This project’s success is not the result of a single entity, but of a strong partnership, collaboration and willingness to uphold the highest standard of excellence across the teams at Brazoria County, the design teams and the overly welcoming City of Angleton.”

 

The completion of this monumental project marks the end of a transformative journey — one shaped by trust, passion and perseverance — and the beginning of a new chapter for the thriving community of Brazoria County.