New Canaan police station nears completion; ribbon-cutting and public tours eyed

New Canaan building committee members were told Wednesday that construction of the town's new police station is nearly complete, with contractor Turner reporting roughly 94% of work finished and the project moving into commissioning and closeout phases.

The update covered interior finishes — including ceiling panels, epoxy floors and planned skylight installation — exterior work such as granite at the front entrance, grading and seeding at the impound lot, and security features including armory fencing and sectional door controls. Committee members also discussed final inspections, outstanding punch-list items, and scheduling for tours and a ribbon-cutting ceremony before full operational cutover in early June.

Why it matters: The roughly $21 million project will house police and emergency services operations; committee members said they want to show the finished facility to residents and town officials once furniture, plantings and final paving are complete.

Construction and closeout status Turner reported the project is in commissioning and final punch-list work, with most mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems started up and being tuned. Elevator and chairlift start-ups have been used for furniture deliveries, and the project team said town signoffs are largely complete.

Work remaining noted in the meeting included final ceiling panel installation and lighting/sprinkler hookups, exterior painting and staining (pending suitable weather), some curb adjustments near the impound lot, finishing sidewalk joints where an old transformer was removed, and minor caulking and power-washing. The granite front work and several finish items were described as being lined up for completion.

Site, security and parking Committee members discussed the impound lot fencing and how that affects camera sightlines. The project team said they will walk the site with police leadership, including Captain Ferenga, to decide whether existing poles and camera placements provide adequate views or require engineering changes. The meeting covered repainting and striping of the lower lot (21 spaces were counted by the project team), and a request from EMT representatives for assigned spaces near stairs; staff said they will coordinate re-striping and mark crosswalk hash marks where needed.

Small equipment and coordination items mentioned included replacement or straightening of an EMS bollard at an apparatus bay and adding a bollard or post to accept a card reader at the traffic gate. The group also discussed installing sleeves and underground piping for landscape irrigation before planting.

Budget, contingency and purchase orders Finance and project staff reported contingency improved slightly since the last report, rising by about $60,000 when accounting for pending change orders and purchase commitments. Committee members were told the overall project spending shows about $19 million invoiced of a planned $21 million total budget, and that a handful of final requisitions will arrive as subcontractors submit final paperwork.

A soft-cost item was brought forward: landscaping/irrigation work of $21,665 that the team said can be absorbed on the soft-cost side and will not affect contingency. Other closeout costs discussed included an extension of rental for a toilet trailer and schedule adjustments tied to a transformer relocation; those items are being funded from contingency or project holds as appropriate.

Virtual training room Committee members discussed the planned virtual training capability on the third floor. The transcript records that the police department procured virtual headsets; one speaker said the purchase was “about $77,000 and change,” and later in the same discussion another speaker described that the larger virtual-training line item had been reduced to a $7,000 figure. The meeting did not resolve which figure represents the final net cost, and members said the item will be accounted for in the soft-costs and contingency reports.

Inspections and handover Committee members thanked town inspection staff and noted a transition: Paul Payne took over inspection responsibilities from Brian Platts. Inspectors and the town have been described as cooperative in accommodating final walk-throughs. The team said the final fire-marshal items (for example, exit signs or slight shifts in fixtures) are typical last-minute items and are being addressed.

Tours and ribbon cutting The committee discussed scheduling tours for town officials and the public once furniture and plantings are in place. Members penciled in May 22 as a likely date for an initial invitation-only walkthrough and possible ribbon-cutting; they emphasized limiting access to designated public areas (lobbies and public hallways) while keeping secure areas closed. The operational cutover for police and EMS was identified in discussion as June 3; members said they prefer not to stage public events during the immediate cutover period to avoid disrupting operations.

Next steps and meeting close Project staff said they will continue closeout meetings with subcontractors, complete the remaining paving and landscaping requisitions (the next large requisition is anticipated for paving/landscaping), and finalize the schedule for tours and ribbon-cutting. The committee confirmed the next meeting date (May 8) and tentatively scheduled the May 22 walkthrough/ribbon-cutting.

A motion to adjourn was made, seconded by meeting members and recorded at the end of the session.