Royal Oak breaks ground on new police station

Construction on the City of Royal Oak's new police station began March 27 with the closing of a portion of the Farmer's Market lot (also known as P11). The new building is scheduled to be completed in 2020 as part of the Rethink Royal Oak development project.

"A new police station is necessary to protect our community more efficiently," said Royal Oak City Police Chief Corrigan O'Donohue. "Our current facility was constructed in 1964 and is extremely outdated for the type of technology and equipment we use today."

The new police station will focus on operational efficiencies ­ allowing officers to spend significantly less time in the station and more time patrolling the community. Unlike the current station, with its small lobby and narrow entrance, the new facility prioritizes making circulation easier for visitors, including those using wheelchairs or strollers. The design provides added safety measures, seamless public access, technological advancements and energy and environmental efficiencies.

Built nearly six decades ago, the current police station building was not designed for the uses the city needs today and, in the future. The work required to renovate the space is too extensive to repair according to a study commissioned from Plante Moran.

The new Royal Oak police station will allow for a more robust dispatch area. The new space will also be designed with more substantial storage for property the force is required to keep. The new building will come with a modern lock up and booking area that is much safer for both officers and prisoners. The new police station will also have a bridge to the courthouse, allowing for a safer process to take prisoners to and from the respective buildings. Lastly, there will be covered, secure parking for patrol vehicles that will allow officers to get to crisis calls more efficiently.

The new police station will be located along Eleven Mile between Second and Knowles Streets, adjacent to the Royal Oak Farmers Market. Once the new police station is completed in 2020, the current police station will be demolished to make way for a two-acre park. The new City Hall, also housed in the same current building as the police station, will be located between Third and Troy Streets, behind the Royal Oak Farmers Market; construction for that building is already underway.

A brand-new parking garage one block west of the construction site will bring 581 parking spaces to the area in June 2019. In addition, Royal Oak Farmers Market will remain open during the construction. Market officials have implemented solutions to make the market user-friendly during the construction, including offering free valet parking and shopping carts.

The comprehensive project is 30 percent complete. To learn more about the police station project and latest development updates, visit www.rethinkro.com.

Published: Mon, Apr 01, 2019