Goals for a new Village of Arlington Heights Police Station were recently discussed by the Village Board at a Committee of the Whole meeting held in November. The current focus for FGM Architects, the firm hired to do a feasibility study of the police facility, is to re-validate a prior needs study on the Police Station and see whether it is feasible to build a new facility that meets the operations, needs and objectives of the Arlington Heights Police Department by using the current site, and any available space on the Municipal Campus, including Village Hall.
Another meeting will be planned with the Village Board in the near future, and it is anticipated that the Feasibility Study will be completed between February – March of 2015.
Village of Arlington Heights Committee of the Whole Police Study Update November 10, 2014.
The project goals listed below will drive the direction of the Police Station Project. These goals, reviewed by the Village Board, were based on results culminated from meetings with various divisions of the Police Department that focused on needs for the future, and from meetings held with the Village’s Task Force managing the project plans for the facility.
Goals of the Police Station Project
1. The primary goal of this part of the process is to determine whether a new Police Station meeting modern day standards can feasibly be developed upon the existing municipal campus.
2. Develop a cost-effective solution that maximizes the budget and is not “overdone.” The budget should be less than what was proposed in 2010 which is believed to be too high.
3. Understand this is a utilitarian building and this being used 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week and needs to stand up to the wear and tear necessary for a police station.
4. Ensure duplicity is taken advantage of. Spaces can be shared with the Village Hall if it can be done effectively, i.e. if the building is connected to the Village Hall. Share functional spaced for various functions to the greatest extent possible.
5. Develop a solution that is secure. Safety of the officers is paramount. This issue supersedes cost.
6. Complement the architecture already on the campus in a cost effective way, while remembering that it is a Police Station. The building needs to be presentable from all sides and the front needs to be complementary to the exiting Village Hall and Fire Station.
7. Make sure the police department has a highly functional building where they can do their job efficiently.
8. Design the police station to be flexible for future changes.
9. Provide adequate workout facilities dedicated to the Police Department.
10. Provide a firing range within the police station that is safe, functional and meets the needs of the Department.
11. Evaluate the site for maximum benefit and efficiency. The solution should utilize the entire site. Nothing is to be taken as sacred.
12. Covered parking should be provided for marked patrol vehicles.
13. Maximize the size of the parking garage.
14. Explore sustainable and environmentally friendly components at no extra cost and/or explore grant funding sources.
The current police facility was built in the 1970s. For several years, the Village of Arlington Heights has planned to address the needs of the 38,000-square-foot facility, which the Village of Arlington Heights reports (1) has become too small for the current needs of the police department, (2) has deteriorating infrastructure and lack of functionality, and (3) no longer adequately serves the needs of a modern law enforcement agency.
For more information on the Police Station Project, please visit Police Station Project Updates.