\n Dallas, Texas, USA – March 20, 2022: Bronze metal City of Dallas seal on the concrete wall beside the steps to City hall Plaza. Dallas is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. | Image by JHVEPhoto\/Shutterstock <\/p>\n
The Dallas City Council will vote Wednesday on a $29.03 million construction package for the new Dallas Police Department Law Enforcement Training Center at UNT Dallas, moving the long-planned academy toward construction as the project still faces an $82 million funding gap.<\/p>\n
Agenda Item 55<\/a> would authorize Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with Swinerton Builders and accept the first guaranteed maximum price package for the training center at 7300 University Hills Blvd. The action includes up to $26.39 million in construction services and a $2.64 million owner contingency, for a total authorization of $29.03 million.<\/p>\n The vote would increase Swinerton\u2019s total contract authorization from $150,000 to $29.18 million. Dallas would pay for the package from the Public Safety Facilities Fund of the voter-approved 2024 General Obligation Bond Program. The city placed Item 55 on Wednesday\u2019s consent agenda.<\/p>\n Construction slated for September<\/p>\n The city plans to bring multiple guaranteed maximum price packages to council as the project team completes construction documents. The current agenda<\/a> lists an estimated construction budget of $185 million and schedules construction to begin in September 2026 and finish in June 2028. A June project update<\/a> set a September 3 groundbreaking.<\/p>\n Dallas voters approved $90 million for public safety facilities in May 2024, including $50 million specifically for the UNT Dallas training center. The June city memo<\/a> said the academy had secured $106.5 million in committed funding, including $50 million from the 2024 bond, $25 million in state grants and $31.5 million in private commitments.<\/p>\n The Dallas Express previously reported<\/a> that DPD officials said the academy will expand training capacity and provide larger spaces for basic and in-service training, reality-based scenarios and new recruits.<\/p>\n City identifies $82 million funding gap<\/p>\n Wednesday\u2019s agenda lists a $185 million estimated construction budget. City officials put the training center\u2019s updated total cost at about $227 million and identified an $82 million funding shortfall during the June 10 City Council briefing<\/a>.<\/p>\n The city\u2019s funding plan includes a $70 million private fundraising goal. As of June 8<\/a>, Dallas reported $31.5 million in committed private funding and $106.5 million in total committed funding.<\/p>\n That gap could go before voters.<\/p>\n