Hibbing council reviews conceptual plans for joint public safety center

Hibbing City officials and a team of architects and construction managers presented preliminary designs and site analyses July 31 for a proposed joint Hibbing Public Safety Center that would consolidate police, fire and EMS operations.

City Administrator Greg Praczynski opened the presentation, saying “the topic of the evening is our Hibbing Public Safety Center,” and introduced the consultant team from Brunton (architecture), Widseth (engineering), Adelson and Peterson (construction management), RAP Strategies (local sales-tax consulting) and city staff.

Ginny Schneider, architect and project manager with Brunton, summarized findings from a discovery period of interviews and facility tours. Schneider said the police facility’s building envelope is not the primary issue but that “the square footage we felt that, in our investigation, they required is about double what they currently have.” She listed specific deficiencies: evidence storage roughly one-third the needed size, weapon storage in evidence areas, no dedicated evidence-processing room with required ventilation, no refrigerated long-term evidence storage and no indoor vehicle storage.

Brunton also detailed structural and operational problems at the fire facility, citing an earlier engineering review and ongoing issues including poor insulation, roof water infiltration and undersized apparatus bays. The consultants noted mechanical systems are not isolated from living and office spaces, a design flaw that can circulate diesel exhaust and other carcinogens into areas where firefighters work and sleep.

To address those needs, Brunton presented a consolidated space program initially estimated at about 65,000 square feet. After block-diagram refinement the team reported a program of roughly 63,000 square feet, broken down as about 19,300 sq ft for a lower level (parking, evidence and mechanical), about 35,600 sq ft on the main floor (administrative spaces, shared training and apparatus bays) and about 8,300 sq ft on a second level (sleep rooms and storage). Schneider cautioned that those figures are preliminary and subject to further refinement based on site selection and design development.

The consultants evaluated multiple sites. The Hibbing electronics site was described as constrained by an on-site storm pond but potentially workable with two layout options; the Public Works site met many functional criteria but posed challenges because of existing operations and grade changes. Presenters noted the current police facility is county-owned, which complicates proposing large city investments there and could require temporary relocation during renovation.

Patrick Sims, construction manager with Adelson and Peterson, described the estimating process and schedule. Sims said the team converts block diagrams into more detailed cost packages, consults local subcontractors and uses historical range projects to keep estimates realistic. He told the council the team is “tracking on the project budget right now” and estimated a 16–18 month construction period once work begins, plus 60–90 days of front-end bid and procurement time for long-lead items.

Councilors asked for and received a square-footage breakdown and for details on apparatus circulation. Presenters showed a concept with public parking and a shared public entry on the south, a landscaped buffer or plaza to separate public access from departing apparatus, ambulance and fire egress to 23rd Street and police vehicle access tucked on a lower level to permit discrete circulation.

There was no council action on the project at the meeting. Praczynski said staff will continue costing, site analysis and preliminary engineering and prepare materials for public outreach at National Night Out next week. The consultant team said a more detailed report and refined estimates will be distributed to the council in the coming weeks.