James Estes of Wilson Estes Police Architects was in attendance as the City of Marion, Iowa celebrated ground breaking for their new police headquarters on October 25, 2012. The new 42,000 square foot building will replace an aging and obsolete police facility, built almost thirty years ago. There are numerous maintenance issues that have created difficulty for the City including persistent roof leaks, even with the slightest amount of rain. In that time the department has operated from their current facility, the City’s population and the size of the department have doubled, along with the equipment and vehicles necessary for the routine work of police personnel.
The greatest benefit the new project will bring the department will be an improved work environment and relief from our current tight quarters. The added space for officers and investigators will allow them to work and communicate much more efficiently. The new facility will look like an up-to-date and modern Police Station and not like a school or other commercial building. Reason being, the design of the new Police Station was done by Wilson Estes Police Architects. They are experts in the design of innovative Police Stations. –Harry Daugherty, Chief of Police
Just as with many departments in similar situations, Marion’s police department has had to find creative solutions to operate from a building that has long since run out of space. For example, six sergeants have to share one office and other work areas have been carved out of storage closets. The greatest feature of the new facility will be the needed space and technology that will allow the police department to efficiently serve the community for decades to come.
The state-of-the-art project is being completed under a lease-purchase agreement with Miron Construction of Cedar Rapids, Iowa serving as the Contractor. The $12 million facility is anticipated to be complete in November of 2013.
Image courtesy of Marion Police Department.Video courtesy of KCRG News – Cedar Rapids, Iowa.