KennethColeSRG Posted December 24, 2005 Share Posted December 24, 2005 Construction has begun on the eagerly anticipated new justice center for the city of Bryan. Bulldozers have moved in and begun clearing the various tracts for the center, which will occupy several blocks between Texas Avenue and Main Main Streets at the southern edge of downtown, with the entrance being across 29th Street from the municipal building/city hall. The justice center will include a new police department and jail facility and municipal court space, bringing the three together again for the first time in nearly fifteen years or so. Currently the police department is located caticorner to the new location in the old First City Bank building at Texas and 29th Street. That building also once held the municipal court and jail, both they were both moved out in the 1990's thanks to lack of room, inmates of the city now housed at the county minimum security jail on Sandy Point Road in north Bryan and the court occupying space in a strip center south of St. Joseph Hospital on East 29th. No plans have been announced for the old police department once the justice center is complete, but my guess is that the building might be torn down and the land redeveloped along with the tract across 29th Street that formerly was the home of the area's Greyhound bus station. 2007 is the target date for full completion of the justice center, although look for the police to begin moving into their new spaces as they are completed. In addition, on the other side of city hall to the north, Brazos County recently purchsed the massive First Baptist Church complex for $2 million dollars as the church prepares to move into a new even more massive campus in south Bryan behind Lowe's and Wal-Mart Supercenter. Following the church's move in 2006, the county will turn the complex, which stretches for several blocks, into an annex of the county courthouse a few blocks away. The main church building, itself an architectural treasure, into new courtrooms and county offices. Later, the county will expand into the many spaces and building in the complex as space is needed. Personally I would like to see the old church building used to house ALL the county courtrooms and have the current courthouse building (which I find to be one of the ugliest and most haphazardly looking building in town) become home to only county offices and the district attorney). Also on the plus side, the county plans to develop a nice park in front of the church building to bridge the main courthouse to the new facilities, and serve as a gateway to city hall across the street. Finally, the county will soon break ground on the new parking garage to be located across from the current courthouse. Also the community supervision (probation) department, which also is across the street from the site of the new garage, is going to move into new quarters at the court annex complex due to the lack of space in its current building, which is the former county health department. All in all, the face of downtown to the west and south will be dramatically altered in the next year or so, and when finished these new facilites will transform that part of town into a city and county governmental hub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted December 24, 2005 Share Posted December 24, 2005 Pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennethColeSRG Posted December 24, 2005 Author Share Posted December 24, 2005 Pictures!I will get down there in the next few days to take some pictures to post. Stay tuned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txshady Posted December 24, 2005 Share Posted December 24, 2005 It's about time they started on the Justice Center, they have been doing utility relocations on that property for some time. I was also wondering when the parking garage was going to get built, I remember it was first announced in 1999 as a joint venture between Brazos County and the Brazos Transit District. Do you know who owns the corner that the old greyhound station was in, I know they still have a free-for-all clinic there. They need to do something with it, it is in horrible shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Is there any of the architecturally significant portion of F.B.C. remaining? I know they tore down the old sanctuary about seven to ten years ago. That was a shame...Also, from what I have heard, the grand designs for the Justice Center have been so scaled back that what once could have been something to be proud of, may end up being mundane. Sorry to be such a downer, but these are depressing things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txshady Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Is there any of the architecturally significant portion of F.B.C. remaining? I know they tore down the old sanctuary about seven to ten years ago. That was a shame...Also, from what I have heard, the grand designs for the Justice Center have been so scaled back that what once could have been something to be proud of, may end up being mundane. Sorry to be such a downer, but these are depressing things...They did tear it down almost a decade ago, im not sure why, but it was a sad thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Looks like the Justice Center will indeed be something to be proud of. Though cuts were made and the facility won't be quite as large and lavish as originally desired, the plans were not cut as much as they could have been, as the City decided to pay more now so that the Justice Center will be more useful in the future.From the City of Bryan website:Ground broken for Bryan Justice CenterPast and present law enforcement and city council representatives highlighted groundbreaking ceremonies held Tuesday for Bryan's future Justice Center.The event was also attended by officials from Brazos County and the Bryan Independent School District, as well as by U.S. Representative Chet Edwards.Bryan Mayor Ernie Wentrcek, spoke from the perspective of a former Bryan police officer and a member of the Bryan City Council that funded the long-awaited facility that will reunite police and municipal court under the same roof.The 63,000-square foot, two-story Justice Center is scheduled for completion in spring 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 There is a picture sign on the corner of 29th and Texas Ave. The pictures are kind of small, but the building is bigger than I thought it would be. Is that parking garage on the same lot as this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggie0083 Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 http://www.bryantx.gov/departments/index.h...me=police_jccam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Well I guess It's finally a distant memory. I grew up wiping windshields and pumping gas many years ago at the family gas station on that very corner. Barnes Conoco and Barnes Garage stood there for many decades. The Garage was torn down and rebuilt as it originally looked out on the family place on Dilly Shaw Tap, we work on our hot-rods in it now. But the old Conoco Station that was built in the 1930's was knocked down several years ago by the city. It was an architectural masterpiece and ahead of it's time when it was built. Many of you old time Bryanites parents and grandparents cars came through that shop. Sad memory now, but progress is a part of growth, I am just glad the lots didn't just end up a parking lot. Wiped many a window, pumped many a gallon, and turned many a wrench in that spot. Memories, but life was fun back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcj0618 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 The Garage was torn down and rebuilt as it originally looked out on the family place on Dilly Shaw Tap, we work on our hot-rods in it now. But the old Conoco Station that was built in the 1930's was knocked down several years ago by the city. It was an architectural masterpiece and ahead of it's time when it was built.Any chance you could post a pic of the rebuilt garage on the Barnes family place? I remember it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Any chance you could post a pic of the rebuilt garage on the Barnes family place? I remember it well.I will either dig one up or I will be out at the farm next weekend and will take some new ones. Uncle Robert was in surgury a few days ago and I need to go check in on him. But either way I will post some of the old shop as it sits now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Guy Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Well I guess It's finally a distant memory. I grew up wiping windshields and pumping gas many years ago at the family gas station on that very corner. Barnes Conoco and Barnes Garage stood there for many decades. The Garage was torn down and rebuilt as it originally looked out on the family place on Dilly Shaw Tap, we work on our hot-rods in it now. But the old Conoco Station that was built in the 1930's was knocked down several years ago by the city. It was an architectural masterpiece and ahead of it's time when it was built. Many of you old time Bryanites parents and grandparents cars came through that shop. Sad memory now, but progress is a part of growth, I am just glad the lots didn't just end up a parking lot. Wiped many a window, pumped many a gallon, and turned many a wrench in that spot. Memories, but life was fun back then.From what my mother has told me her grandfather, Bill Hudson, worked at that garage for a short time after moving to Bryan with my great-grandmother shortly after their marriage. This would've been during the early years of the Depression. He went on to own two successful businesses in Bryan; Hudson Fence & Awning and Hudson Furniture. Looks like more than one family has some history at that corner. I remember it being there but unfortunately it was already in disrepair by the time I was old enough to pay attention. It is too bad it couldn't be preserved but I guess a corner like that is just too valuable to remain idle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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