5 replies to this topic

[hood]

I'm just wondering what everyone thinks about the creation of a single central police station replacing the current 3 locations. I'm thinking a new precinct would be 100,000 sq ft+ and be built on one of the city parking lots downtown. I was also thinking the city should seek money from the Dept. of Homeland Security for the project, maybe even extra money for a special function, like a forensics lab or a helicopter. As it stands now the South Precinct is over capcity and cramped, the City would like to use the police wing of City Hall for their own, currently scattered offices and it's to small for the police too. the North Precinct, I think, but am not sure, is using borrowed space for their CSI garage, where they work on getting evidence from cars and store special vehicles.
The current South Precinct is 31,444 sq ft
The current North Precinct occupies about 40,000 sq ft , out of the 120,000 sq ft building
The Downtown precinct is probably around 40-50k sq ft.
Thats a current use of at least 100-110k sq. ft with more room needed plus possible new things...

Edited by hood, 13 December 2005 - 03:00 PM.

[Lmichigan]

I like the idea of multiple precincts.  It allows for more community involvement with the police department, and obviously better response times.  The south precinct also serves as a community center of sorts, as does the prudden factory at the north precinct (i.e. basketball courts, swimming pools...)

There really isn't many practically good reasons for consolidating, and justice complexes are easily some of the ugliest and most uninviting structures you can have in a downtown area.  Even if nicely done, they are still high-security and offer little else besides a employees mayve becoming patrons of downtown businesses.

I've been hearing rumbles for a few years now that many leaders want to move city hall from it's current site, and use that land for a possible hotel in the future (or something else).  If that is the case, if they are also moving city hall, it maybe practical to build a huge municipal complex that could also include police consolidation, garages...but I'm not a fan of a stand-alone prison/justice high-rise/campus.

[hood]

Bernero was saying he favored the consolidation of both the precincts and city garages. He was quoted at last nignts forum as saying he wanted to relocate city hall. Maybe he can actually get it done. of course that new city hall would probably hold a larger, central police precinct in it and have more space for city hall also. It would make for a pretty large building.

[Lmichigan]

Yeah, I read that today somewhere, too.  He said he wanted to turn the current City Hall into the Senate office building (which is currently the Farnum Building).  Personally, I wouldn't mind if they demolished the current city hall altogether.  It's incredibly outdated, and not an underuse for the site.  I've had to go there quite a few times for different things, and they literally have file cabinents linning the walls on many floors, and they weren't designed for that.  It's also starting to look a little decrepit in many parts.

I really want to see the current city hall space used for a hotel, though.  It would be a hotel geared toward the business traveler;lobbiest that would have a meeting at the capitol the next day.  The views would be great, and it could hold a great restuarant/lounge with views of the capitol.

I think a great place for the new city hall would be the lot right in front of Constitution Hall.  They could dig an underground lot for parking (something currently severly lacking at the current city hall), and the complex would have room to expand if it ever needed to.  It would still be in view of the capitol, too, and would free up land in the denser part of downtown.

[hood]

I agree that there should be a new city hall but I doubt that it will happen. It would be very expensive, but now would be a perfect time, despite busget poblems consolidating the police precincts and scattered city offices into one facility would save money over the long term, plus the lower maintenance costs of a new building. Also they could seek homeland security money, which is readily avalible and may not remain that way. However, that lot in front of Constitutionhall is either private or state owned depending on the one your talking about. The city would have a hard time justifying spending a lot of money on a new parcel when thay own so many surface lots themselves. I hope that Bernero is seriously considering this though, and not just using it as sort of an inspirational idea that he does not intend to follow through with.

There is also another possible benefit from city consolidation, the vacating of the central garage on Cedar just north of Olds Park. It would make for a prime location for a mid to high-rise development on the scale of he Abrams Lofts.

[Lmichigan]

You make a good point.  The lot in front of Constitution Hall is, indeed, privately owned, though the state is obviously their biggest customer.  Maybe they can scrap the triangle deal, and move the city hall there.  That would take care of the vision for the site.  I really don't like the idea floated a few years back of moving it to the lot where Oliver Towers is, that should be developed as dense residential and retail space geared towards LCC students, or used as future expansions for the college.

And yes, the central garage does need to be moved.  Actually, it should have been demoed when the stadium came online.  The entire Larch/Cedar coriddor is underutilized and ugly.  The former A-to-Z rental lot is STILL empty across from where I live, and it's been a few years now.  It's nothing but a dirt lot with shacks on it.  For shame being in the central city like that.