Burlington Police Department Relocation Plans Underway
Planning continues for the demolition of Burlington's current police station and construction of a new one, a project which was approved nearly unanimously by Town Meeting in May.
As a part of this project, the Police Department will need to relocate while a new building is being constructed. The town will be requesting that Town Meeting approve the use of the Vine Brook Water Department Building on Middlesex Turnpike for this purpose. The Committee discussed the need for some additional trailers and for the addition of climate control units to ensure those working in the buildings are comfortable through the changing seasons. Wayfinding signage and GPS updates will ensure the police station can be found by those who need it.
The schematic design phase is on schedule to be completed this November, said Project Manager Kevin Witzell from Kaestle Boos Associates, the Architectural firm that is working with the town to design the new building. More detailed design work will be completed in the spring, with the project anticipated to go out to bid in the summer and break ground in the fall of 2025, said a representative from CHA Consulting, the new Owner's Project Manager, which will see the project through.
The design of the new building will largely mimic the current building but contain visual features that give the building character and don't make it look like a big square block, as reiterated by Planning Board Representative to the Police Station Building Committee, Barbara L'Heureux. The team will also work proactively to retain some of the historic features of the original building, which was opened in 1898 as the town's Union School, though the team didn't decide how exactly that would be accomplished.
Additional priorities voiced by the Committee include preserving as many trees as possible during construction, opting for sustainable and environmentally friendly options when the choice presents itself through the process, and collaborating with the town's land use committees along the way so no surprises come up when the town goes to seek permits from the relevant boards. The Committee also discussed engaging in more public awareness building activities to better communicate with neighbors and other residents, including possibly having a table at the November election and/or holding an abutter's meeting to share the plans once complete.
For more information and to keep up-to-date with the Police Station Building Project, visit their website.
