Submitted by the City of Littleton
The preliminary plan for the Littleton Police Department add-on. Courtesy city of Littleton.
The Littleton City Council voted unanimously May 4 to proceed on a project that will result in much-needed improvements to facilities for the Littleton Police Department at the Littleton Center, 2255 W. Berry Ave., starting with a new lighted parking lot southwest of the center, costing $194,397.
The new lot will replace parking spaces that will be lost to the expansion of the police space and new spaces required due to the increased square-footage. Council also authorized approximately $600,000 for start-up expenses such as ordering materials and installing utilities for the construction of a 14,250 square-foot expansion and renovation of 6,766 square-feet of existing space at a cost of $3,671,467. The Council is expected to approve full budget authority for the project at the May 18 meeting.
Other project elements include:
• Furnishing, fixtures and equipment totaling $686,812.
• Architectural design, engineering and materials testing at a cost of $414,720.
• Owner costs such as project management, permitting, hazardous material abatement, moving, etc. estimated at $295,300.
• A project contingency of $536,762.
At its workshop in 2009, Council directed staff to proceed with a solution to the LPD’s most pressing needs of evidence processing and storage, and offices for the Detective Division. The additional space will eliminate the need for rented, off-site storage and assure that evidence is secure. The crime lab will have chemical, photo, computer labs and a high-vehicle exam bay. The renovation will bring back traffic unit offices that are currently off-site, provide for expanded locker rooms, a briefing room, additional report writing and meeting space, improved records space and a multipurpose training room that will also serve as an Emergency Operations Center.
At its 2010 workshop in February, Council discussed the impacts of the recession but City Manager Jim Woods told Council the components of this project are core operational functions for the police department.
“The space needs for these functions will continue to exist irrespective of future economic conditions,” Woods said.
He also pointed out that the current bidding climate for commercial construction is extremely favorable, but this window will only exist for a limited period of time.
In spring 2009, the preliminary estimate for the total project budget was $6.2 million; the revised project budget based on the bid came up $400,000 less than originally estimated. By transferring almost $11 million from the Water Fund into the Special Projects Fund last fall, funds are available to complete the project without incurring debt.
