December 18, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Decatur Police Space Study Complete
DECATUR – PSA Dewberry has completed its initial Decatur Police Department facility study and recommends that the City plan for construction at a site in Wabash Crossing if future budget considerations allow.
The Decatur City Council will discuss the issue as part of a study session following Monday night’s regular meeting and no formal decision on how to best proceed has been made. The PSA presentation for Monday night’s meeting is now available online at www.decaturil.gov under the “Council Agenda” tab at the bottom of the page.
In late September PSA began working to determine the actual cost of renovating the Millikin/Regions Building for police operations and for using City Parking Garage C for evidence space. PSA was also asked to determine the cost and feasibility of building new police facilities at Wabash Crossing.
The Millikin building’s owner eventually removed the Millikin Building from consideration due to space constraints. The study indicates that the Millikin/Regions building is a good, sound building but the owner has recently been able to lease additional space in the building lessening the amount available for a police department.
The PSA recommendation calls for the master planning of a new 60,000 square foot facility but indicates that construction could be implemented in phases as budget constraints would necessitate. According to the study the city could also have communications remain at its current location based on budget demands and outlines the phases as follows:
- Phase 1 (by itself) – Would include the communications center, evidence storage, the crime scene unit and all estimated contingencies and fees. Total Phase 1 Cost: $3.4 million - $3.9 million, depending upon contingencies and other fees.
- Phase 2 – Would add the remaining police space to the phase 1 construction and all applicable contingencies and fees. Total Phase 2 Cost: $9.6 million to $11 million, depending upon contingencies and other fees.
- Combined construction cost of Phases I & II if done separately - $13M to $14.9M.
- Combined construction cost if phases 1 and 2 are done in one building at the same time with communications - $12.7M to $14.6M (we save about $300,000).
- Combined construction cost if phases 1 and 2 are done in one building at the same time without communications - $11.9M to $14.0M.
PSA estimates that the cost of constructing a new facility at the Wabash Crossing site ($11M - $14.9 million depending upon the option selected) is comparable to the cost of renovating the Millikin Building ($12 million). The cost of constructing a new facility at Wabash actually would most likely be less than at Millikin/Regions when annual lease costs are added to the Millikin total; the City would own the site at Wabash and would not have to pay for leasing.
For more information contact Billy Tyus at 424-2753.