Springfield Police begin $4 million renovation

by Trenton Tubbs

SBJ Contributing Writer

sbj@sbj.net

Renovation of the Springfield Police Department's headquarters is under way and is expected to be finished in about a year.

Springfield Police Department Spokesman Matt Brown said renovation began in June. It will involve complete interior and exterior remodeling to modernize the building and make better use of existing space.

The headquarters, located at 321 E. Chestnut Expressway, will total 37,800 square feet when completed. The project architect is Ken Stufflebeam and the mechanical engineer is Mark Wolthius, both of the design firm Gaskin Hill Norcross. Construction is being done by Flintco. The total cost for the renovation is $3,938,000.

The building was constructed in 1968, and since then "there has been no major renovation to the building," said Stufflebeam.

The addition of interior walls as the department shifted staff and offices around had left a maze of rooms and hallways, said Brown. He said the experience of getting from one area to another "sometimes felt like being a lab rat."

The building has been gutted and renovation has begun, Stufflebeam said. He makes regular trips to the site to supervise construction. "I keep track of the progress of the work weekly." As the work progresses, problems occur that must be dealt with.

One difficulty the renovators must contend with is maintaining 911 communications, he said. The phone lines for the system run through the basement of the headquarters.

Another challenge is renovation of the old jail in the basement, which will create more space. Demolition of the old jail wall is proving difficult, said Stufflebeam. "It's a solid, reinforced concrete wall."

Originally, some department personnel were going to remain in the building during renovation, he said. But the extra cost was prohibitive, and the city decided to vacate the building.

During the renovation, the headquarters has been shifted to the South District Station at 2620 W. Battlefield. Operations are being housed in the basement there. Quarters are cramped, with many officers and detectives working from small cubicles, according to Brown, but the "basement is very large and accommodating."

Although most operations have moved to the south side, a temporary public services area is set up at 235 S. Kimbrough, which is the old Fire Station No. 1. Walk-in reports, release of vehicles and property, and other informational needs will be handled there until the renovation is complete.

More space

Once completed, the renovated building will have a more open and usable workspace to accommodate department growth. The headquarters was intended for a couple of hundred people, Brown said, but the entire department has more than 400 people.

A new electrical system will be installed, which will ensure that computer systems will be able to operate properly. A new heating and air-conditioning system will provide better ventilation and temperature control, said Stufflebeam, and new exterior windows will make the building more energy-efficient.

Security for the building is a prime concern also. Personnel will use magnetic-stripped cards to access doors in the new keyless entry system, Brown said. Additionally, windows facing the street, as well as those of desk officers in the lobby area, will be replaced with windows that are bulletproof.

The exterior of the building will feature a new awning and the same blue glass as the South District Station. One major change is relocation of the main entrance to the west, so visitors can enter directly from the parking lot. The current entrance is on the south side of the building.

ADA-compliant elevators, restrooms, working space and public accommodations are part of the renovation as well.

When operations are moved back to the main station, the criminal investigation section, which handles established cases, will be based there, along with the uniform operations division for the north side and the records staff. The uniform operations division for the south side will remain at the South District Station, along with the branch of the criminal investigation section that handles property crimes, said Brown.