TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The town council has asked its consulting architect to come up with more options for reconfiguring and expanding police department facilities on-site.
At the July 10 council meeting, Anthony Iovino, of Arcari & Iovino Architects, delivered a 20-minute presentation that offered two options for upgrading police department facilities: one included a possible property purchase and renovations to expand the police department facilities; another was a shared DPW–police HQ for an estimated $8.5 million.
Approximately a year ago, the Township Council was moving to purchase 95 Linwood Ave., a 1.45-acre sliver of property formerly occupied by the Charlie Brown’s restaurant, for $1.35 million, to build a DPW facility there. However, following public pushback, the mayor suggested the site for a new police department.
The council bailed on the site following discovery of remnants of underground piping from a prior gas station. (The site was approved for an Apple Montessori preschool in March, that applicant returning after having been encouraged by the town attorney to step aside so the town could act on the opportunity. Apple Montessori says its due diligence turned up no environmental barriers to purchase.)
Preliminary estimates for an already approved DPW building facility design near town hall have ranged from $4.5 million to $4.8 million, Iovino said. He suggested that a combined DPW–WTPD facility could solve all space issues.
Excluding a property purchase, Iovino estimated the renovation option for the police department at about $1.5 million.
Following Iovino’s presentation, council members questioned the options presented versus what they had originally asked for.
Councilman Tom Sears said he was “kind of confused” by the presentation as the council requested options for police repartment renovations to expand at the current facility — not at the DPW facility, or the possible purchasing of property.
However, Iovino said he was “under the impression it was to study what is feasible” but Sears corrected him, noting “It was strictly for this [police department] part.”
Iovino said that the approximate 16 to 18 feet of possible space still available for police department expansion would likely require ADA elevators, and stairs, and that could make expansion there difficult.
‘Repurposing the space’
Council President Desserie Morgan suggested reusing the existing police department space differently and “repurposing the space that we now have.”
However, Iovino said that a secure entryway, or sally port area, would not fit into the current space as it is at least 18 feet wide, plus requires space on both sides to get into it and through it.
Morgan suggested “flipping the uses of what we currently have,” noting that offices might be moved from the ground floor to the basement and what’s in the basement to the first floor. She said she was thinking that the new design options would be “working within our footprint.”
Iovino said he appreciated the council feedback and would look to come up with such options within the police department facilities. “So I’ll look at what we can absolutely do within that footprint and stop there.”
Morgan said “The more options we have the better…as creatively as you possibly can be.”
PBA Local 206 in 2017 formally complained of longstanding deteriorated conditions at the police headquarters. Capital and operational spending has been up in recent years to correct that situation.
The approved 2023 capital budget line item appropriations for the WTPD three-year capital program (2023–2025) include:
- $25,000—Architectural designs (addition)
- $200,000—Holding cells renovation
- $100,000—Locker rooms and bathroom renovations
- $125,000—Stationary automated license plate readers.