Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Police Department

TO:	Tom Markus, City Manager
FROM:	Tarik Khatib, Chief of Police Anthony Brixius, Police Captain Chris Mulvenon, Assistant to the Chief
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Brandon McGuire, Assistant to the City Manager Scott McCullough, Planning and Development Services Director Bryan Kidney, Finance Director Ernie Shaw, Interim Director Parks and Recreation
DATE:	March 30, 2017
RE:	2017 Police Facility Site Selection

Background

The Lawrence Police Department moved into a portion (roughly 9000 square feet) of the downtown Law Enforcement Center (LEC) in 1976.  By the early 1990’s the need for additional space for the department was clear.  For several years discussions took place in regards to how the department could gain additional space.  This was not possible at the LEC as the building is owned by Douglas County.  By the late 1990’s the situation was critical and something had to be done.  The option to build a dedicated police facility housing all needed functions was estimated to cost approximately $10 million at the time.  Rather than this course of action be taken, an office building (now The Investigations and Training Center – ITC) located at 4820 Bob Billings Parkway was purchased for $2.25 million.  An inadequate $250,000 ($750,000 was eventually spent) was allocated for renovation of half of the building to make it more suitable for police use.   The decision to split the department’s functions as well as attempting to retrofit a building not specifically designed for law enforcement functions has had long term effects, which have been previously detailed, and from which the department continues to suffer from today.

In September of 2011, an attempt to finally and formally examine the current and future facility needs of the Lawrence Police Department began anew.  Through a competitive and thorough Request For Proposals process, Wilson Estes Police Architects in collaboration with Treanor Architects were selected to conduct a Facility Needs Assessment.  On May 1, 2012, the city received the completed Police Facility Needs Assessment Study.  This consisted of a written report as well as a Study Session presentation (PowerPoint) to the City Commission by the architects.  The study addressed the site requirements for a new facility by comparing low density development versus high density development.  The clear advantage based upon almost certain future expansion was low density development.  This option, recommended by the architects, established the essential building site size at a minimum of 13.1 acres and a building sized at 103,239 (73,678 square feet in actual building space and 29,561 square feet in garage, range, and other square feet) square feet.  This was based upon 2012 staffing levels, projected additional personnel numbers for 20 years, and maintained other facility requirements specific to law enforcement.  That initial cost estimate was approximately (2012 dollars) $30 million for a turn-key building.

Due to concerns regarding the expense of the project, and in preparation for a sales tax increase referendum to fund it, staff and the architects revisited the study.  After cost cutting measures were looked at, a plan with a revised square footage estimate of 86,031 (62,426 square feet in actual building space instead of the previous 73,678 square feet) square feet was presented to the City Commission on July 22, 2014. This maintained the recommended site size at a minimum of 13.1 acres.  Reductions in planned square feet were department wide, with the bulk coming from a reduced footprint for covered parking for fleet vehicles and a reduced size for an outbuilding. The revised cost for the project was estimated at $25.7 million.  Some of the reduction in 2014 square footage was projected to impact the future space needs, but would have been sufficient. The subsequent vote on the matter that took place in November, 2014, narrowly failed.

Since then, the demand to address facility needs for the department has remained.  The purpose of this memorandum is not to reexamine the need for a police facility, but to function as a companion memorandum to the 2017 Police Facility Master Plan memorandum (dated March 30, 2017) that discusses a phased approach to the construction of a police facility that would provide funding and construction over a series of successive years.  The phased-in plan also takes into account a longer police presence at the Investigations and Training Center (ITC) until such time as services located there would be transferred to the new location. 

In 2016, one component of the City's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) approved by the City Commission provided $1.5 million in 2017 to develop plans for a new public safety facility for the department.  Important pieces of the planning involve site selection, site survey(s), geotechnical survey, and masterplan updating along with a phased approach concept for additional planning and construction.  The defining component before any master plan can be developed will be the selection of the site where the police facility will be located.  This is the focus of this memorandum.

Study Site/Building Recommendations

The architectural team that conducted the 2011 needs study has extensive experience in facility assessment processes as well as in the construction of hundreds of police/law enforcement facilities. In examining the myriad of facility considerations that were presented for police-specific buildings, two overarching recommendations emerged:  having adequate space (land and structure), and a building design incorporating functional adjacency concepts.  Space needs should be sufficient for not only the current needs, but to accommodate at least 20 years of projected growth.  Consideration of adjacencies in police facility design ensures that functions, services, and entities that need to be next to each other within the facility are; and that some things that should not be close together are not.  Having patrol sergeant offices in close proximity to the patrol squad room that in turn are close to the locker room are examples of functions that should be close together.  Another example would be the desire to have the evidence intake room next to the evidence processing room.  Both of these areas should then also be accessible from a secure garage or building exterior to facilitate large item processing (to include vehicles).  Having crime victims and suspects waiting in a common lobby would be an example of things that should not be close together.   Not having public restrooms situated within the facility’s secure or sensitive areas are other examples of proper design.  Key recommendations in regards to a site selection and building design are:

• Recommended site requirement of at least 13.1 acres.

• Estimated total project space (building) need of 103,239 square feet on the day of occupation.  The original plan called for 73,678 square feet in actual building space and 29,561 square feet in garage, range, and other for the total of 103,239 square feet.  After cost cutting measures were looked at, revised square footage numbers were 62,426 square feet in actual building space instead of the previous 73,678 square feet. These numbers may need to be adjusted as part of a re-evaluation in 2017 as part of the master planning process as they are already five years old.

• Construction of a basement area beneath the entire first floor footprint of the building.

• Adjacency factors in design to address safety, security, confidentiality, productivity, infrastructure considerations, and service related concerns.

Although not part of the formal written needs study, staff and architects discussed the merits of new construction as compared to the remodeling of an existing building with the architects.  Properly designed modern police facilities have very specific design and use needs and elements that many buildings do not.  To meet the needs of a purpose built police facility which incorporates adjacency concepts as well as other functional specific design needs, new construction enjoys many advantages.  The costs of remodeling existing structures which were never envisioned as a public safety facility may approach or exceed new construction costs without the functionality and efficiency advantages realized with new construction.  Existing building design, location, growth potential, and mechanical deficiencies would also need to be addressed, further increasing the costs.

It is to be expected that not all of the sites under consideration will have all of the desirable qualities for use as a potential police facility.   However, as a baseline for consideration, the site should:

§ meet the minimum recommended size requirement to ensure current and future needs;

§ provide for a building design affording adjacency factors programming and functionality; and

§ possess minimal physical, structural, or geographic attributes negatively impacting access, functionality, and security.

Additional Considerations

The Police Facility Needs Assessment Study  itself did not examine site criteria beyond establishing minimum recommend site size and building square footage.  The architectural team and staff did compile a list of additional considerations that may serve as a guide when evaluating the suitability of sites for a police facility.  They include:

• Historic environs. Is the site within the environs of a historic property?

• Flood Plain. Is the site within or adjacent to designated flood plain?

• Ownership.  Is ownership private, public, city, or a combination?

• Adequate Green Space – Acreage.  Does the site meet the minimum architectural recommendations?

• Central Location (current).  How close to the geographic center of Lawrence is the site under consideration?

• Central Location (future).  How does the site geographically fit into the predicted growth of Lawrence?

• Compatible with Neighboring Land Uses.  What are the current zoning classifications for adjacent property?

• Expansion Potential.  Is the site larger than the recommended site?

• Future or Back-up E.O.C. (Dispatch, Emergency Management) Location Suitability.  Is the site large enough to accommodate additional expansion?

• On/Near Main Arteries.  Is the site accessible from multiple access points and is the traffic flow adequate?

• Public Accessibility.   Does the public have access to the site from current public transportation, bike paths, and/or pedestrian paths?

• Tower and Communications Support.  Is the site elevation suitable for radio communications networks?

• Visibility.  How public (adjacency to and visibility from existing arterial, collector, and local streets) of a presence will the site allow the facility to be? 

• Site Constructability.  What are the contours, grade, and public utilities available at the site?

• Site Acquisition.  What are the acquisition costs of the site? 

Sites Previously Considered

Although not a complete review of every site considered for the police facility, the following is an updated list (of those still believed to be available) of those that were considered finalists after narrowing based on selection criteria previously listed:

• Overland Drive and Wakarusa Drive – north/west location.

• Venture Park (Block ‘A’) – east location

• Fairfield Development – south/east location.

• Hallmark property, east of McDonald Drive – north/central location.

In addition, several sites brought to the attention of staff have been evaluated since the original list.  These do not meet the minimum acreage recommendation nor provide for the ability to purposely design a police facility.  All are existing buildings.  They include:

§ 4830 Bob Billings Parkway Complex – west location.

§ 3311 Iowa Street, JCPenney property – south/central location.

Site Descriptions

§ Overland Drive and Wakarusa Drive. The city-owned site addressed at 5100 Overland Drive is located north of the Walmart Store on West 6th Street.    At 29 acres, it meets the recommend size criteria.  Site advantages include that it is already city-owned, it is close to a major east-west arterial street (West 6th Street), it has several north/south arterial street options from which access can be gained for traveling to and from the location, and it has reasonable proximity to K-10 and I-70.  One additional advantage when placed in the context of a phased approach is the property’s close proximity to the current Investigations and Training Center (ITC), which would continue to be occupied by the police department for a yet undetermined amount of time.  One disadvantage is the location may not provide as much immediate street visibility as some other locations would.  Although not centrally located, it is the opinion of the Planning and Services Department that the more immediate and future growth in the city will occur west of this location, so it would become more centralized as time goes on.  The potential development costs were estimated at $275,000 - $300,000 in 2014.

§ Venture Park (Block ‘A’). This is a city-owned 103-acre industrial park.  Block ‘A’ is comprised of the western lots adjacent to the Douglas County Fairgrounds.  Specifically, Lots 5 (6.3 acres) & 6 (8.1 acres); 2100 and 2200 Venture Park Drive.  This site is on the north side of 23rd Street, just to the west south-west of the Westar electrical substation.  At 14.4 acres, it provides adequate acreage as recommended.  Public access can come from O’Connell Road, with secondary access on the western platted right-of-way.  This will require street improvements.  Site advantages include that it is already city-owned, it is in close proximity to the County Jail, city fleet maintenance facilities (for the time being), radio maintenance facilities, and the Humane Society.  Additionally, new waterlines, sanitary sewer lines, and roads provide infrastructure support for the site minimizing this future cost for the facility.  Disadvantages include removing the acreage from potential industrial/economic development opportunity, lack of a central location, and less access to east-west and north-south arterial streets as other sites.  A secondary entrance/egress road would also need to be established.  One additional disadvantage when placed in the context of a phased approach is that the property is very far away from the current Investigations and Training Center (ITC), which would continue to be occupied by the police department for some time.  In 2014, the potential development costs were estimated from $650,000 - $750,000.

§ Fairfield Development.   This is located at 2501 Exchange Place, and is privately owned.  Several sites on the south side of 23rd Street, around the Douglas County Jail were available, this one in particular is boarded by Exchange Place to the north, O'Connell to the west and 25th Street to the south.  At 26.29 acres, it meets the recommended size criteria.   It shares some of the advantages and disadvantages of the Venture Park site.  One large disadvantage is an acquisition price of approximately $2.5 million (2014).  In 2014, the potential development costs were estimated from $75,000 - $90,000.

§ Hallmark property.  This is located at 100 McDonald Drive, and is privately owned.  This site is on the east side of north McDonald Drive.  At 47.58 acres, it meets the recommended size criteria.  Advantages include a central (east/west) location, good adjacency to the Kansas Turnpike, and the ability to access Iowa and points south.  In addition, access to North Lawrence would be quickly facilitated via the Kansas Turnpike. Disadvantages include not being able to acquire (only being sold in total) a smaller track and a price (2014) of $2.25 million.  The Hallmark site was the chosen location of the November, 2014, failed sales tax vote for a new police facility.  The potential development costs were estimated from $750,000 - $830,000.

§ 4830 Bob Billings Parkway Complex.  This is a collection of three buildings located just west of one of the department’s current locations, the Investigations and Training Center (ITC).  At approximately 5 acres, it does not meet the minimum size recommendation.  Staff toured the facilities and observed that the buildings would need significant improvements.  Taken together with the ITC property, this would provide four buildings on approximately 9 acres of land.  The acquisition cost for this property was estimated at $5 million.  Acquisition costs, less than the required space needed, and significant remodeling (if possible, given four buildings) required, are major disadvantages of this property.

§ 3311 Iowa Street, JCPenney property.  This is a privately owned retail store and associate parking lots.  It was announced earlier in March that this and 137 other J.C. Penney's stores nationwide would close.  This 79,828 square foot building will be vacated by the J.C. Penney Company after the inventory is liquidated.  We have been informed by a representative of the commercial real estate group representing J.C. Penney that it is, or will soon be under contract for sale and therefore is not currently available.

Site Recommendation: Overland Drive and Wakarusa

When considering where to recommend a new police facility be located, it is important to note that no one location is perfect.  All have advantages and disadvantages that should be weighed against one another.  In addition, staff examined some of the reasons why the 2014 sales tax vote failed.  One common theme seen in the feedback staff obtained was dissatisfaction with the city’s plan to purchase property rather than using existing city property.  To that end, staff also examined other city property that could potentially be utilized for a police facility.  Department Staff worked with Planning and Development Services Director, Scott McCullough, to review several city-owned properties including: 2000 Packer Court, 5651 West 6th Street, West (city) Pumps at 1900 Wakarusa, 19th and Stewart Avenue (open space south of Fire Med #5,) City of Lawrence Airport, and East 31 Street near a "Lift Station" by the K-10 connector.  All of these locations were either too far from reasonable access or visibility, did not meet acreage requirements, were not wholly city-owned, or had existing environmental concerns (West Pumps). 

With Mr. Scott McCullough assistance, staff has reviewed all existing possible building sites within the City of Lawrence, both city-owned and privately owned.  Staff has also had conversations with Interim Parks and Recreation Director Mr. Ernie Shaw and with Mr. Tony Barron, Executive Director of Facilities and Operations for the Lawrence School District regarding currently city-owned property that is adjacent to USD 497 facilities.  Based upon those discussions and backed with previously conducted site evaluations, the city-owned site with the highest degree of favorable attributes is the property at Overland Drive and Wakarusa.   To staff’s knowledge, there do not exist any impediments to such a project on the property in terms of restrictions or other obligated uses.  According to Mr. Shaw, a police facility project at this location would not limit the potential for a city park to be located on the north half of the property as it is of sufficient size.  In fact, there may be some exciting community engagement opportunities with recreational facilities being near the police department.

Overall Recommendation

Preliminary examination, as part of the 2012-2014 study, depicted the police facility being located on the southern 16 acre portion of the property.  This is larger than the recommended minimum, but it is believed some of this is due to the unique characteristics of some of the property’s eastern edge which would not be as conducive to construction.  At 29 acres, the city-owned Overland and Wakarusa site is large enough to accommodate the police facility while also preserving 13 acres for other city use.  Staff recommends that 16 acres of the city-owned 29 acre property located at Overland and Wakarusa be designated as the location for the construction of a future police facility.