The Clayton Police Department, along with the city of Clayton, has finally concluded its five-year-long search for a new home. The city of Clayton has purchased the 63,000 square foot Heritage office building at 10 S. Brentwood Blvd to replace the dilapidated headquarters the department currently inhabits. Located at 227 S. Central Avenue, the present operational center for the department, which was built in 1962, has multiple flaws which have drawn the attention of city representatives and department officials alike.
“The building is overcrowded and has developed significant infrastructure issues including inefficient environmental systems, electrical, plumbing, and asbestos problems,” Alderman Steve Lichtenfeld said. “These environmental concerns could compromise the Department’s ability to provide high-quality law enforcement to the community.”
Along with such environmental hazards, space issues have deprived the department the opportunity to upgrade technologically.
“There are a lot of innovations in prisoner handling,” Clayton Police Chief Tom Byrne said. “How you secure them when you’re interviewing them, how you secure them when you’re processing them, and you actually need a lot of space to do that safely, and right now we’re really lacking in that space.”
In 2007, the Clayton Board of Aldermen authorized a space and needs assessment of the current building. The results only heightened concerns that a new space was necessary.
“The study confirmed that the existing building is deteriorating,” Lichtenfeld said. “Renovation of the existing building was not recommended due to the building’s inadequate design and space utilization and poor construction. The recommendation was to obtain a new site and construct a new facility.” However, the task of finding a new site for construction proved easier said than done.
“Our first thought was to build a new building, but we had a difficult time finding suitable property,” Byrne said. “Property is very expensive in Clayton and also people don’t want a police station near residential neighborhoods.”
Thus, when the Heritage building became available, city officials quickly took action.
“When it was apparent that the Heritage Building would become available, an updated space analysis of the building was completed in 2009, showing that the Heritage Building would provide the proper space for and support the needs of the Police Department,” Lichtenfeld said.
Constructed in the 1950s by a local developer named Sidney Studt, the Heritage building transformed Clayton’s architectural landscape, by utilizing Williamsburg Colonial style and, at five stories, standing as the tallest building in Clayton, which had previously never seen a building taller than three stories. The Heritage building once again has a chance to be revolutionary, only this time it will revolutionize the way the Clayton Police Department functions on a daily basis and will address many of the problems interfering with the department’s ability to perform their duties to the fullest extent possible.
“The Heritage Building will afford the Police Department the space required for efficient, high-quality law enforcement for the City,” Lichtetnfeld said. “Following complete renovation of the building, new environmental systems will be installed and the electrical and plumbing systems will be upgraded. If there is any hazardous material in the building, it will either be professionally removed or protectively encapsulated for the protection of all occupants. The Heritage Building provides 63,000 square feet to sufficiently address the current Police Department’s space deficiencies, 128 parking spaces in an adjacent three-level garage, proximity to the County Court and Jail, and the opportunity to preserve and enhance a part of our Clayton architectural heritage.”
And many of the updates will be specifically tailored to the needs of the department.
“We’ll be working with architects that specialize in police buildings,” Byrne said. “Plus, we’ll be able to design many of the features which we’ll incorporate into the renovation.”
The Heritage building will also lead the way in energy efficiency.
“Clayton has decided that all future city public buildings would be constructed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards,” Licthenfeld said. “LEED encourages adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of accepted tools and performance criteria. There are several progressive levels of certification; at the time of adoption, the Plan Commission recommended, and the Board of Alderman approved the Silver level as providing a level of sustainability within reach of developers and the city itself.”
The city has also taken steps to ensure that the renovation is financially feasible.
“The city took out $15 million in Build America bonds,” Byrne said. “They’ll pay for the renovation over 20 years as there is a very low interest rate.”
It is estimated that the renovations will begin in November of 2010 and the department hopes to move into their new home by December of 2011. An open house will also be held by the department once the project is completed.
A member of the department for 37 years, and Chief for seven, Byrne welcomes the much needed change of scenery.
“I started my career at this building and I’ve been here a long time, but it is past its usefulness and we’ll be glad to be out of it,” Byrne said.