One of San Antonio’s biggest Department of Public Safety centers shuttered for more than two weeks after a burst pipe flooded the building, rendering appointments void and the doors shuttered. Now, the Texas agency says it’s up and running again, but it’s not quite at full function as a major renovation is underway.
Don’t go lining up at the 24,000-square-foot DPS mega center at 7410 Huebner Road. Officials may have broadcast that the site is “back open,” but that doesn’t tell the whole story. With major repairs needed to replace water-soaked flooring and ceiling tiles, the agency is not operating at full scale and may not be for a while.
“The [DPS] Leon Valley Mega Cener Driver License Office has partially reopened and is temporarily serving a limited number customers by appointment as flooding damage repairs remain underway,” a DPS spokesperson told MySA.
The department leases the space from Finders Real Estate, the company which filed the $900,000 repairs with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Apparently, all the flooring, ceiling tiles, doors and fiberglass wall panels need to be replaced over the next month or so.
While the agency will continue to operate the site through the construction process, it’s very limited in the number of customers they can take on. Walk-ins were welcomed on Wednesday, April 1, but only appointments will be allowed for the foreseeable future.
“We are working closely with the property owner to return the office to full operational capacity,” the spokesperson said. “At this time, there is no timeline for when all repairs this facility will be complete, and we will provide updates as soon as they become available.”
So, if your driver’s license is up for renewal, definitely plan ahead. Appointments online often need to be booked several weeks out.