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Committee advances plan to demolish old police station and return site to park-like space, tables for more details
Summary
Committee members heard from staff that consultants found the old police station unsalvageable and that demolition and a low-maintenance park with limited parking is proposed; the committee approved an order requesting the mayor act on the bond study but later voted to table the item pending more detailed design and parking information from the consultant.
The Finance Committee heard a presentation on a bond-study-backed plan to demolish the old police station and return the site to a sloping park and event space.
Matt (identified in the record as the staff presenter) told the committee that an initial conditions assessment concluded the building is not salvageable, that demolition is proposed for the fall, and that a designer is preparing demolition and replacement plans and cost estimates. "They determined that the building is not salvageable, so we're moving ahead with a second designer to do demolition and to replace the building with a new park/space area," Matt said.
Staff described the proposed re-use as a sloping lawn with walkways, some hardscape for events, and a small number of parking spaces (roughly 16) to retain access to the tax collector’s office and other functions. Councilors pressed on parking loss, long-term revenue implications and whether the underused downtown garages could absorb displaced parking. One councilor said returning the land to lawn would remove hazardous materials and reduce overall project cost versus building new structured parking.
While the committee voted to request the mayor act on last year’s bond study and to move a demolition plan forward, members later voted to table the item to allow the consultant and staff to return with additional design details, a planting plan that favors low-maintenance/native species, clearer parking counts and cost estimates.
