$44 million construction project underway at Kika de la Garza Land Port of Entry in Pharr

PHARR, TEXAS – Jason Shelton, regional administrator for the U.S. General Services Agency, says his agency is thrilled to be part of a $44 million construction project at the Kika de la Garza Land Port of Entry in Pharr.

GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing over $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies.

The Pharr project came about through the Donations Acceptance Program (DAP), a partnership mechanism that allows GSA to accept donations of real property, personal property, and non-personal services from private sector and government entities.

On Aug. 14, the City to Pharr held a groundbreaking ceremony for its eagerly awaited second span project at the Pharr International Bridge. This will double the capacity of the bridge. At the same event, GSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the City of Pharr confirmed plans for a $44 million improvement to the Kika de la Garza Land Port of Entry (LPOE).

Jason Shelton

“The groundbreaking ceremony is a testament to the dedication and strong partnership between GSA, CBP, and the City of Pharr,” Shelton said. “By investing in this critical infrastructure, we are not only meeting the current demands but also preparing for future growth and success in our international trade operations that bolster our nation’s economic strength.”

Shelton pointed out that the Kika de la Garza Land Port of Entry is connected to the Pharr International Bridge. He said the Pharr bridge is the third-largest trade hub with Mexico in Texas and the seventh largest and fastest-growing land port of entry in the United States. He said it crosses 65% of the nation’s produce from Mexico and over $47 billion in annual trade.

Christopher Anzaldúa, border program manager for GSA, spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony.

“I want to thank the City of Pharr and CBP for partnering with GSA on this momentous project. I also want to thank our federal, state and local leaders and partners for their unwavering support on this project,” Anzaldúa said.

“Over the past ten years, the City of Pharr has gifted five donation projects worth over $8 million to the federal government at this port alone, not to mention all the other major accomplishments and projects they have in the works.

“By partnering together CBP, GSA and the City of Pharr will add approximately 77,000 square feet to this port of entry through the donation acceptance program. These improvements are estimated to be over $40 million.”

Christopher Anzaldúa

Anzaldúa said the improvements include expanding the secondary commercial dock, augmenting the current cold inspection service area, and constructing a regional agricultural facility for CBP officers and other supporting federal aid agents.

“The project will address the growing demand for border management, integrating customs, immigration, border security and agricultural protection into one coordinated effort. GSA is proud to be a partner in this effort,” Anzaldúa added.

In 2016, the City of Pharr submitted a formal proposal for the project at the Kika de la Garza LPOE. After years of planning and designing, the partnership was formalized by signing a DAP in Aug. 2020.

Shelton said the groundbreaking ceremony continues a strong partnership that benefits local entities, communities, and consumers.

“Since the inception of the DAP in 2014, GSA is proud to have engaged in over 30 partnerships totaling about $250 million of donation projects at land ports of entry.”

Construction is scheduled to take approximately 24 months to complete.

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