Assessment finds Goldsboro public safety complex structurally and mechanically failing; consultants outline $52M–$65M combined replacement option

A consultant team told the Goldsboro City Council on Monday that the city’s primary public-safety complex shows pervasive building-envelope damage, aging piping and HVAC systems and recurring indoor-air concerns, and that comprehensive repairs would be equivalent to major reconstruction.

Ben Lewis of Kairos Project Group reported results of a building assessment of Station 1 and supporting facilities, saying the building envelope is compromised and that chilled-water and hot-water piping “has reached the end of its service life.” He warned that ongoing water intrusion and degraded insulation have contributed to mold and indoor-air-quality problems and that isolated HVAC fixes would not solve the root causes.

Consulting contractor Andy Speck (Boba Construction) and design partner Jimmy Edwards (Davis Cain Architects) presented rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) estimates for replacement options and site needs: a stand-alone fire station at roughly 37,000 square feet with a projected cost of $25.6 million to $31.1 million; a stand-alone police station at about 53,000 square feet estimated at $28.8 million to $35.2 million; and a combined public-safety facility of about 87,000 square feet on a 9–12 acre parcel estimated at $51.7 million to $65.0 million.

Speck said site costs vary widely and that the team used $450,000 to $750,000 per disturbed acre as a planning allowance. He emphasized these ROM figures are based on comparable projects and not on final design, and that more precise pricing would require a site, program decisions, and further design work.

Speakers from both the Goldsboro Police and Fire departments told the council they prefer a combined public-safety campus because shared space improves operational coordination and preserves shared resources such as emergency-management equipment. Fire and police leaders also raised concerns about inadequate locker and office space at the city’s stations and about the effect of substandard facilities on staff morale and recruitment.

Council direction and next steps: Staff told council there is no immediate request for funding. The manager said staff would bring further updates back by the end of the year and that the item would be part of retreat discussions in February to consider timing and financing choices. Several council members said they wanted the discussion to continue as a priority item given safety, morale and long-term cost implications.

What the assessment did not resolve: The consultants said an analysis of repairs to the existing building would be complex; their view in the presentation was that full and reliable correction of the multiple structural and mechanical failures would amount to essentially rebuilding the facility. Staff said a thorough, detailed repair-cost estimate would require further study and decisions about whether the city could operate in the building during work or would need temporary facilities.