PEABODY — City officials unveiled additional details about the new public-safety complex that would unite the city’s emergency services under one roof, and fielded questions from residents on topics ranging from parking concerns to energy efficiency on Wednesday evening.
The new building, set to be constructed adjacent to the existing police station and a stone’s throw from the Higgins Middle School, would house the entire Police Department, the Fire Department’s administration, and the city’s emergency management, according to Mayor Ted Bettencourt. No fire operations would be conducted from the new complex, which Bettencourt estimated would cost the city $50 million.
Bettencourt kicked off the public forum by explaining that the city’s current police station on Allens Lane is “outdated in many respects” and no longer meets the needs of the department. The nearly 50-year-old building served the department’s needs when it was constructed, Police Chief Tom Griffin said. But, with policing becoming increasingly specialized, the department needs more room to spread out.
And, Griffin said, being able to coordinate with the Fire Department while in the same facility would be a boon for the city, particularly in terms of emergency response to major events like snowstorms or hurricanes.
“It’s just going to be a totally big benefit to the city and it’s gonna be a huge morale boost for the officers that are currently working in the building,” Griffin said.
While the city considered sites other than the space next to the existing station — technically still school-department property — Bettencourt said its centralized location made the most sense. He has already secured some initial funding from the City Council, and intends to return to the council to seek authorization to proceed with a construction manager at risk process, in which the city would hire a firm to oversee the building’s construction and design.
Jeff McElravy, a principal at Tecton Architects, laid out an anticipated timeline for the project, with construction slated to begin in fall 2024 and wrap up in spring 2026, making the realization of the city’s vision a long way off. The next step for the project, McElravy said, would be the completion of a schematic design this fall and the beginning of design development.
During that phase, construction documents would be developed and go out to bid, he said.
The new building would comprise 51,710 gross square feet — up from the 28,000 gross square footage of the current police station — split between space for mission-critical operations, training, building support, administrative offices, and public areas. 47% of the building would be dedicated to mission-critical operations, area for detention, evidentiary storage, and other space for actually doing the job of policing.
The remaining 53% would be split fairly evenly between the remaining four areas, with public space receiving the smallest amount at 10% and administrative offices getting the largest at 15%.
McElravy explained that the building would be split across two stories above ground with a basement area for storage. The new complex would likely be shorter than the Higgins Middle School, he said.
“We want to make sure that we have a campus feel,” he said.
McElravy added that the new building would be designed to blend in with the Higgins so the two structures “don’t feel like foreigners sitting next to one another.”
“We want to make sure that we’re thinking about how the flow works on the site and some of the further-out amenities that go on around the site, and making sure that we’re designing something that’s professional with everything that’s happening throughout this area of the city,” McElravy added.
Ward 2 City Councilor Peter McGinn, who was among a smattering of elected officials at the forum, asked McElravy what steps were being taken to essentially future-proof the new building, with the hope of getting more than 50 years out of the complex.
In response, McElravy explained that the design of the building is aimed at not just the needs of present-day police officers, but also what the department’s needs might be in 20 or 30 years.
“I don’t have a crystal ball, but there are some things that we can do to plan for the future,” he said. “Number one is to think about what’s going to change in staffing. Already, we’re designing for the staff of the future.”
McElravy fielded several questions about how the new building would be powered, and whether the city was taking any steps toward implementing green-energy solutions. He confirmed that the complex would be powered entirely by electricity, with a backup generator running on diesel. And, he said, plans are in place to install solar panels on the roof and create a solar canopy that would sit over police cruisers in the parking lot.
Bettencourt sought to dissuade any concern about the availability of parking in the area, given that the lot outside the Higgins tends to reach capacity during major school events. While he offered few specifics, he said he was confident a plan would be implemented to preserve parking.
While many were answered Wednesday, key questions about the project remain unanswered — particularly, the fate of the existing police station once the new building is completed. Bettencourt acknowledged the uncertain future for that site and suggested it could become a new home for school administrative offices or serve another municipal purpose.
Following the forum, Bettencourt said the event represented a “very valuable” step in the process for the city.
“A lot of important items were brought up,” he said. “Some we were already considering, some we need to take a closer look at.”
A similar meeting will be held once a design for the new building is finalized, Bettencourt said.
