Durham County is finally moving from promises to blueprints on its long-discussed animal shelter overhaul, signing off on paid design work for a new facility that leaders say the community’s animals desperately need.
In a unanimous vote Monday, commissioners approved a $5.6 million contract with Durham-based RND Architects to fully design a roughly 37,250-square-foot indoor shelter with about 6,700 square feet of covered outdoor space. The proposed layout includes separate wings for dogs, cats and small animals, a dedicated medical clinic, a warehouse, a barn and paddock for large animals, and capacity for 131 dogs and 132 cats. The overall project is estimated near $55 million with an opening target around 2030, according to The News & Observer.
Animal advocates turned out to nudge the Board to act, and the mood after the vote was equal parts relief and realism. “We all were shocked and overwhelmed as we had an up-close look at the condition of this very old shelter,” Lisa Cole told commissioners during public comment. Commissioner Wendy Jacobs added that she was “very excited to see us appropriating funding for the design of the animal shelter,” per The News & Observer.
Why county officials say replacement is needed
County staff and a 2020 feasibility study have been blunt for years about the East Club Boulevard facility, labeling it functionally obsolete and pointing to chronic HVAC breakdowns, cramped conditions and recurring disease-control problems that strain operations.
The Board had already authorized earlier pre-planning work with RND Architects in 2025, and county documents show the new site at 1117 Junction Road is currently undeveloped. Before any construction can begin, the land will need environmental, geotechnical and utility assessments, as outlined in the Durham County meeting agenda.
Timetable and what comes next
With design money now committed, county staff say the next chapter is detailed design work, permitting and a lot of site prep on what is essentially raw land. Large utility extensions and staging often take years before vertical construction starts, and that is expected here too.
Meeting notes indicate that soft-site work, water-line extensions and phased construction options could stretch the overall schedule, so design and infrastructure are expected to dominate the near-term focus. For more on that discussion, see SeeGov.
Supporters called the vote long overdue, while some commissioners flagged rising construction costs and urged flexibility in the final design. County staff say the new building is being planned for a 50-year lifespan, with room to expand. The design contract moves Durham away from patching an aging shelter and toward a purpose-built facility, and the Board will weigh construction bids and funding choices as design details sharpen, according to the Durham County meeting agenda.
