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Bethel Police Station architect, construction manager selected

The bid process for the planned Bethel Police Station is complete, an architect and construction manager have been hired.  First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker says the companies are mobilized and ready to go as soon as the contracts are signed.  As soon as the Town Attorney signs off on the contract, in a week or so, other town officials will be able to sign it.

 

The first phase is engineering drawings, which the town expects to start soon. 

 

Bethel officials proposed the new police station in 2004, but then the project sat dormant until 2013.  Knickerbocker says this has been a long haul to get the plans off the drawing board and toward reality.

 

It's anticipated that an 18 month construction process will be needed from ground breaking to completion.  Bethel is aiming for a ribbon cutting in the Spring of 2018.

 

Officials have described the current police station as cramped and overcrowded, providing less than a third of the space the department needs.  The firing range can't be used as intended because it's currently being used for storage.

 

The current building was designed and constructed in the 1960 when the requirements and mission of police agencies was different than it is today in a post-9/11 world.  There are new departments that must be supported that didn't exist in the 1960s.  The building can't be renovated and expanded because it sits on a flood plain.  They've had problems with sewage backups that have occurred due to the flooding.  

 

The $13.49 million project for the corner of Judd Avenue and Dodgingtown Road went through some changes after an initial vote last year failed.  Material for the building, and a smaller parking lot are among the changes in the final plan.  The land is not in the educational park, and was set aside decades ago for future town use

Knickerbocker says the facility will blend with the neighborhood and will be barely visible from the road.  He notes that it will not impact the education park, but police would be next door to provide additional security if needed.

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Markley van Camp Robbins

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