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Concord breaks ground on $41.5 million police headquarters
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Summary
City of Concord leaders held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new police headquarters they say will replace cramped facilities, reuse a mid-century building, include community meeting space and a point of access for retirees; the city council authorized a $41.5 million construction budget in November 2025 and work is expected through 2027.
City of Concord officials and police leaders on Thursday marked the ceremonial start of construction on a new police headquarters the city says will replace an overcrowded facility and add community space.
"It's my honor to work with the police department to get this project going," said Beth Fenstermacher, director of special projects for the City of Concord, who opened the event and introduced the construction and design teams. She identified Milestone Construction as the construction manager and Harriman as the design firm.
Mayor Champlin said the existing Green Street building, originally built in 1974 and expanded several times, no longer meets the department's needs. "Since that original facility was constructed, Concord's population has grown by 47%, the staff has increased by 50%, and calls for service has in have increased by 112%," he said, framing those figures as the rationale for a larger, modern facility. He said the council approved a $41,500,000 construction budget in November 2025 and that work is expected through 2027.
The mayor also emphasized reuse and cost savings, saying the project will repurpose a mid-century modern building and provide room for future expansion. He said the new site will include space for the city prosecutor's office, which he said is currently in rental space across the river, and will provide "community meeting space" intended to deepen ties between police and residents.
"Public safety is more than a responsibility. It reflects who we are as a community," said Barrett Walton, the interim police chief, who described the headquarters as a "central hub for maintaining order and security" and said the facility will support training and recruitment.
Retired Chief Osgood, invited to speak for former department leaders, said the new design will improve visitor access for retirees and other guests who now must be escorted because of CJIS security requirements at the current 35 Green Street station. "We're gonna have a point access point where retirees can gather in the building and not actually need to be escorted throughout the building," he said.
Haley Haskins, a patrol officer who joined the department in 2021 and previously worked as a dispatcher, called the facility a symbol of the department's future. "This new state-of-the-art facility symbolizes a place where we will continue to train, work together, and serve the community for many years to come," she said.
FENSTERMACHER and officials gathered after the remarks for the ceremonial shovel turn to mark the start of construction.
The mayor said the council authorized the $41,500,000 construction budget in November 2025; the transcript does not include a formal roll-call or motion text for that authorization. Detailed scheduling, contract milestones and any permit requirements were not specified during the ceremony.
