Document - Historical information/data - Police Department Facility Specs - 3/28/1977 MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DATE: MARCH 28 , 1977
SUBJECT: POLICE DEPARTMENT FACILITY
At the last regular meeting of the City Council held on
Tuesday, March 15, 1977 , City Council Member Wachter was
appointed by Mayor Polzin to represent the City Council as
a sub-committee to re-•-examine the plans and specifications
that''have been prepared for a new police department facility
by Horne Architects with the City staff. On Thursday,
March 17 , City Council Member Wachter and members of the
staff toured Best Foods new facility in Eagan for the purpose
of looking at the heating system and insullation used in
the walls and roof of said structure. The following day
on March 18 the same group toured the combined police and
administrative office complex in the City of Blooming.ton
and also the police and administrative complex in the
City of Richfield. On Tuesday, March 22 the sub-committee
group led by Council Member Wachter met with Mr. Jim Horne
to discuss some alternatives to the plans and specifications
that have been reviewed to date. Then, in final preparation
for the special City Council meeting, the sub-committee
toured the police and city office facility in the City of
New Hope and also the entire new local government complex
in the City of Brooklyn Center. In addition to a tour of
those complexes, the sub-committee also toured the
Borchert-Ingersoll complex in Eagan to gain a better under-
standing of pre-stressed concrete.
The specific questions that the committee was most interested
in answering were as follows:
1. Were the employees satisfied with the type of
heating system that was in operation in their
particular facility?
2 . Was the two story building conducive to their
organizational functions?
3 . Was a full basement and expansion capability
considered in the construction of their facilities?
It was interesting to note that all the employees working
in those facilities that had a combined heating system of
hot water and forced air did express
a number of problems with that type of heating system. For
example, the dispatch area in the City of Bloomington would
get considerably hot in the daytime hours and therefore
a fan was needed to circulate the air rather than
the effectiveness of a continuous air system. It was also noted
that several facilities had small portable heating units
used because of the heat loss that seemed to occur in the
hot water-forced air system. The City of Bloomington has
built a two story complex with the police operation on the
bottom story and city administrative offices on the second
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Police Department Facility Memo
story. It was expressed by their representatives that this
was a more efficient and cost savings approach to a city
office complex and also more desirable from an organizational
standpoint. For example, a common lounge area was constructed
that is used by the police operations, city employees and
members of the public, due to its location with all operations
including meeting rooms and city council chambers. The
Cities of Brooklyn Center and New Hope also have their
administrative operations on the second floor while police
operations are on the first level. In talking with represen-
tatives of those communities, they also find the same things
to be true as found in the City of Bloomington. The
City of Richfield has a two story operation however, due
to the recent reorganization of their fire and police into
a public safety department, having the police split on two
floors has caused problems from an organizational standpoint.
One of the problems experienced by = all the cities that
were toured is the great necessity for extra storage for
evidence purposed, records and inventory supplies. A
number of other observations were made that will be discussed
at the special City Council meeting on Tuesday.
After touring the various complexes and discussing the various
pitfalls with different building inspectors, administrators
and police personnel, the sub-committee group was able to
reconsider a number of specifications that were called
for in the original plans that were prepared for the City.
For example, the heating system was a major concern expressed
by all the various cities toured. The sub-committee
feels that a forced air unit with a continuous fan should
be considered along with a solar energy heating source
(if possible) for the facility. By reducing the number of
windows and constructing a mechanical system that would
offer a forced air heating and cooling mechanized by a
continuous fan there will be more fresh air and constant
temperature experienced in the facility. Another finding ,
of the subcommittee is the concern for future expansion as
well as the need for space that is evident at the present
time. In looking at the organizational structure and
advantagous of a two story facility, the sub-committee
feels a police department facility should be constructed
with the capability of adding a second story within. -- . the near
future for administrative offices. After looking at cement
block and realizing the maintenance problems that do exist
with that type of construction opposed .to pre-stressed
concrete, it appears that for asthetic purposes , long term
maintenance and potential construction of a second story
for administrative offices , the pre-stressed concrete is
more desirable for construction of the police department
facility. A basement should be considered in the construction
due to the added space gain for purposes of storage and also
to allow for a potential solar energy resource.
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Police Department Facility Memo
The financing is always a concern in discussing the new
police department facility. It appears that the Public
Works Bill has been approved by both the Senate and the
House and after speaking today with representatives of
Senator Anderson' s office, Senator Anderson was appointed
to a special committee to work out the allocation of
the $4 billion that was appropriated for final signature
by President Carter. At the present time, the Senate
has appointed their allocations committee, however the House
has not taken any action to appoint their confers and
therefore the final committee meeting cannot be held. More
than likely it will still be a few weeks before the City
of Eagan will be notified about the .federal grant. If the
City should fail in its effort to acquire the Federal
funding, consideration should be given to future use of
Federal Revenue Sharing monies as well as other in house
monies that might be available for the construction of
a new facility. After touring the various facilities
it appears that it is in the best interest of the City to
build the most efficient and effective police facility
possible with the resouces that can be made available
at this time.
In summary, the sub-committee feels that a two story.
facility with police operations on the first floor and
the flexibility of future expansion of a City Hall
administrative office facility on the second story is the
best 'construction plan at this time. Also, a forced-
air heating system with continuous fan and potential solar
capability, was the most desirable for mechanical systems. And
finally, the pre-stressed concrete appears to be more
advantageous for present and future construction over the
cement block which was originally proposed. The sub-
committee feels that in their findings the City Council
should deal specifically with the needs of the City of
Eagan as they are determined and then recognize the effectiveness
of an architect as to how they can best design for those
needs.
City Administrator