Plans for a $31m, 250-agent US Border Patrol Station and Collocated Checkpoint facility in Texas are to be drawn up by Atkins. The firm has secured a design-build contract for the project from ITSI Gilbane on behalf of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Located 6 miles from the US/Mexico border, the project will include a 50,000 sq ft Border Patrol Station, 3,500 sq ft checkpoint, 11,800 sq ft vehicle and facility maintenance building, short-stay kennel, indoor firing range, fuelling station and a car-wash facility.

The design is aiming for LEED Silver certification and has been conceptualised using Autodesk’s Revit BIM software. Greg Wilk, Senior Group Manager at Atkins details: “The new station is a key component in the border-protection strategy of the Department of Homeland Security, and expanding the facility is vital to accommodate the growth of the USBP agent force. The award of this contract recognises Atkins’ history of successfully delivering projects for the Department of Homeland Security.”