Last month marked the two-year anniversary of the 2019 shooting at a Walmart Supercenter in east El Paso, one of the deadliest anti-Latino attacks in U.S. history. The tragedy of that day is still visible in the minds of many El Pasoans, as is the swift action of the brave men and women who rushed to the scene.
First responders’ ability to protect and serve is directly tied to the resources they receive from their community. In November of 2019, El Paso voters approved a $413 million Public Safety Bond to fund new buildings, renovations, training, and vehicles for police and fire departments. Included in this plan is construction of the new Eastside Regional Police Command Center, which will improve police response time and public safety in a fast-growing, underserved area.
For Project Director Joseph Riccillo, this is a very important project, and the City’s repeat selection of Sundt is a major milestone. “It’s both a sign of trust and an evolution in how public projects are built in El Paso. Coming off of our successful completion of the Eastside Regional Park, it’s clear that the City is shifting its thinking on alternative delivery methods,” he said. “Projects that impact public well-being and safety just can’t wait—but the risk that comes with managing and expediting them calls for a trusted partner.”
Since being awarded the project in March, our team has worked closely with the designer in weekly meetings, giving proactive input on design that exceeds typical value engineering. “At the end of the day, the client has to make informed decisions quickly,” said Joseph. “They just want to know: Which way is better? Which costs less? You’re going to find better, faster answers for the community using a collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach. And that’s what we do best.”