Comal County okays structural redesign and $3.3M change order for mental health facility; architect fee amended
October 23, 2025 | Comal County, Texas
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Comal County Commissioners on Oct. 23 approved changes to the county’s mental health extended observation unit after contractors encountered unexpected groundwater and soil conditions, directing staff to execute a small architect amendment and a larger construction change order to revise the foundation design.
The court approved a fourth amendment to the architecture agreement to cover the additional engineering and design work caused by unanticipated subsurface conditions, and separately approved change order No. 3 to the prime contractor to implement the redesigned foundation.
County staff said the original structural design called for piers of about 33 feet. As crews began installing piers, they encountered groundwater and deep clay, prompting engineers to redesign the foundation with 50-foot piers that must be cased because of the groundwater. The architect’s additional fee for design services was presented as $3,700, and the construction change was described in agenda materials as $3,344,498.86; staff also referenced an additional contract amount of $645,572.91 during discussion. County staff recommended approval of both items.
Commissioner Leacock moved to approve the architectural amendment; Commissioner Webb seconded. Commissioners then approved change order No. 3, which county staff said will exhaust the project contingency (originally about $500,000) by using roughly $300,000 of contingency and paying the remaining balance from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) interest earnings. The change order also adds 85 calendar days to the project’s substantial completion date, moving it to Oct. 2, 2026.
“Because of the presence of groundwater they’re cased, all these piers are cased,” county staff explained during the meeting, describing the redesign as a “pretty substantial change” to the structural system. A member of the public with construction familiarity, Robin Nava of Canyon Lake, attended and complimented the court for using external funding options and for the technical steps being taken to improve the structure’s resilience to subsurface conditions.
The court approved both items by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the minutes.
Officials said the work will be funded by ARPA interest earnings and by depleting the project contingency. The county’s architect and contractor reviewed the revised design and recommended the change order as reasonable and necessary.
The mental health facility project will continue through construction with the revised foundation design and the updated substantial completion date. The court did not approve any other scope changes at the Oct. 23 meeting.
The court approved a fourth amendment to the architecture agreement to cover the additional engineering and design work caused by unanticipated subsurface conditions, and separately approved change order No. 3 to the prime contractor to implement the redesigned foundation.
County staff said the original structural design called for piers of about 33 feet. As crews began installing piers, they encountered groundwater and deep clay, prompting engineers to redesign the foundation with 50-foot piers that must be cased because of the groundwater. The architect’s additional fee for design services was presented as $3,700, and the construction change was described in agenda materials as $3,344,498.86; staff also referenced an additional contract amount of $645,572.91 during discussion. County staff recommended approval of both items.
Commissioner Leacock moved to approve the architectural amendment; Commissioner Webb seconded. Commissioners then approved change order No. 3, which county staff said will exhaust the project contingency (originally about $500,000) by using roughly $300,000 of contingency and paying the remaining balance from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) interest earnings. The change order also adds 85 calendar days to the project’s substantial completion date, moving it to Oct. 2, 2026.
“Because of the presence of groundwater they’re cased, all these piers are cased,” county staff explained during the meeting, describing the redesign as a “pretty substantial change” to the structural system. A member of the public with construction familiarity, Robin Nava of Canyon Lake, attended and complimented the court for using external funding options and for the technical steps being taken to improve the structure’s resilience to subsurface conditions.
The court approved both items by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the minutes.
Officials said the work will be funded by ARPA interest earnings and by depleting the project contingency. The county’s architect and contractor reviewed the revised design and recommended the change order as reasonable and necessary.
The mental health facility project will continue through construction with the revised foundation design and the updated substantial completion date. The court did not approve any other scope changes at the Oct. 23 meeting.
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