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Construction of Port Arthur’s new animal services center is moving along with an anticipated opening date at the end of the year.

 

The most recent photos of the site shows the large footprint of the 16,446 square  foot facility which is located at 3615 Gates Blvd., where St. Mary Hospital once stood. The facility will house a lobby, offices for administration, a Sally port, large training area, an adoption space, storage, outside dog runs, medical space for animals, and 38 air conditioned kennels — double what is at the current site at 201 4th St. 

 

Darlene Thomes-Pierre, code compliance manager, said the walls and roofing are being constructed at this time and they expect the duct work to be complete soon. The plan is for Construction Zone of Southeast Texas LLC to turn the building over to the city in November with an opening at the end of the year.

 

The facility is being constructed on land donated to the city by the Christus Foundation. The cost is approximately $7.3 million. 

 

Thomes-Pierre said they partner with some agencies to increase their visibility and adoption rates. Some of the groups are breed specific, for example, there may be a group for mastiffs. The idea is to increase the adoption rates. 

 

“We are building something great. It’s a necessary service,” Thomes-Pierre said. “I think when we open our facility it will be a great day in Port Arthur with a state-of-the-art facility to care for and rehome animals people abandon or surrender.”