Council hears schematic update on proposed $80 million Broomfield police facility

City staff and the design team presented schematic design progress and cost estimates for a proposed new Broomfield police facility, telling the City Council the project is roughly one‑quarter through design development and is being sized and priced to fit an $80 million bond authorization.

Katie Allen, Director of Community Development, said the design contract with Anderson Mason Dale Architects covers schematic design, design development and construction documents, with construction documents and cost refinement expected through spring 2026. "We presented that. We came back to council in March to award a contract for design to Anderson Mason Dale," Allen said.

Architect James Taylor described the building program and site considerations. The current schematic shows about 84,000–85,000 square feet, with secure motor court expansion providing roughly 100 new secured parking places and an approximate five acres of active construction disturbance. Taylor said the estimated construction contract price (a guaranteed maximum price from the CMGC) is about $73,000,000, and the total project cost—adding furniture, equipment, owner contingency and utility relocations—is just under $80,000,000.

On procurement, staff reported they selected FCI Constructors as the construction manager/general contractor; the firm will join design meetings to provide constructability reviews and iterative cost estimates. Allen said the city expects to receive a GMP proposal from the CMGC and bring a construction agreement to council in the May timeframe next year.

Design and operational features discussed include evidence storage sized for 20–25 years, vehicle storage and a right‑sized forensics lab, an administrative suite and a real‑time crime center, a larger incident‑command room, victim‑services spaces and a wellness suite with fitness facilities for staff. Taylor said the 9‑1‑1 communications center will be designed as a resilient, standalone unit with redundant mechanical and electrical systems.

Sustainability strategies include an all‑electric target for primary mechanical systems with heat pumps and electric reheat backup in extreme cold, provision of EV‑ready underground conduit for future chargers, and solar photovoltaic canopies over some parking (site constraints may limit canopy coverage to roughly 40–50% of the patrol fleet). Taylor said the target Energy Use Intensity is just under an EUI of 40, which he described as “pretty exceptional” for a 24‑hour public‑safety facility.

On safety design, the team described ballistic protections for lobby glazing and lower opaque walls and discussed design tradeoffs. "The industry standard is a UL 752 Level 3 protection on the interior glazing," Taylor said, adding the chosen protections focus on handgun threats at occupant head height and that the team would balance transparency and security in public spaces.

Council members asked detailed questions about furniture/fixture/equipment estimates (staff said the $2.25 million estimate is based on new build assumptions and industry factors), neighborhood outreach (minimum notification radius set at roughly 1,000 feet; meetings to be scheduled after CMGC onboarding), bond timing and court space implications (the city plans to bond for $80 million and to phase court work later, acknowledging 85% of bond proceeds must be spent within 36 months of bond issuance).

No council vote was taken; staff will return with the CMGC GMP and budget detail as design and preconstruction cost‑estimating continue.