Houston city leaders broke ground on a new Houston Police Department South Central Patrol Station on July 9, 2026. The project will transform the former E.B. Cape Learning & Development Center at 1450 South Lockwood Drive into the new facility.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire, HPD Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr., members of the City Council, and police officers attended the groundbreaking ceremony. The refurbished facility is expected to expand from approximately 20,000 square feet to 28,000 square feet. This new station will serve neighborhoods including EaDo, the Texas Medical Center, and the Third Ward.

The relocation of the station is connected to the Texas Department of Transportation's North Houston Highway Improvement Project, which has affected the current South Central Patrol Station. City officials did not announce a timeline for the completion of construction or when the new patrol station is expected to open.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor Whitmire said, "We need more cars, bulletproof vests, people with language skills." He added, "The facility is growing to become more accessible to the community." He also said, "We won't stop with the opening of this new site."