The Auburn City Council on Monday night discussed the building design and associated costs for the proposed public safety headquarters on Minot Avenue, where the fire and police station will be consolidated under one roof.

The two-story building will have an apparatus bay, space for a gym, on-site training areas, a public parking area and secured parking space for staff.

The police department will have a secure front area where the public will enter, a booking area and interview rooms, evidence storage, locker and shower facilities, a secure community outreach area and conference rooms.

The fire department will have an apparatus bay, kitchen and living area, spaces for management, adequate storage space for equipment, bunk rooms, bathrooms and training rooms.

The second floor will house space for fire department living and conference areas, police department administrative offices and community outreach areas, said Andrew Hyland with Port City Architecture.

The 63,000-square-foot building will be concrete and brick, Hyland said. There is enough indoor space to house city equipment and vehicles away from the elements.

First proposed in 2021, the public safety building’s final design approval will move the city closer to completion of the project at the site of the current fire station at 550 Minot Ave.

A 2021 city-commissioned study found several areas of concern at the city’s current fire stations and police headquarters. At the police department, concerns included undersized locker rooms, an unsecured public entryway, and inadequate evidence storage areas. Concerns at the fire department included inadequate space for additional beds, offices, and fitness areas, among other constraints.

When the police station first moved into Auburn Hall it was supposed to be a temporary, five-year move; that was nearly two decades ago. All three of Auburn’s fire stations were built more than 50 years ago, and changes in the industry have made the buildings no longer practical for the fire department’s needs, officials say.

Two years ago voters approved a $45 million bond for the public safety project, though it might not cost that much to construct the building, city officials have previously said. The project was originally projected to cost $27 million.

Currently the price per square foot is $596, according to JP Schwartz, a representative for Allied Cook Construction, which will oversee project construction. 

The proposed building design is essentially the same as the one voters previously approved, Town Manager Phillip Crowell Jr. said. However, the current design excludes a police firing range and adds fire training space (partially funded through a grant). The cost estimate right now stands at roughly $42.5 million.

The final design will be ready for council approval at its next meeting, he said.

Councilor Adam Platz said he supports the design where it stands right now and if additional funding for the project is found, it should go to reduce the project cost and not to add onto the design.