Hattiesburg – At Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony for Hattiesburg Police Department’s newest officer, Mayor Toby Barker also provided an update on the status of the public safety complex.
The complex will be home to both the police department and municipal court, located at the original site of the former department building (corner of Hall Avenue and Edwards Street).
In 2018, the City completed the demolition of the old building and asbestos abatement for a part of the building that will serve as a foothold in the new complex. In January 2019, construction work began on the infrastructure for water and sewer. Construction on the permanent building could begin as early as April and will last between 28-36 months.
“With several false starts, reboots and reconfigurations over the last seven years, I am proud to announce that we have agreed to terms of a contract with Hanco Construction at a price tag of $26.5 million,” said Barker. “This state-of-the-art police station and municipal court facility will serve as the home for our men and women in blue for the next 50 years and beyond.”
After bids came in at a higher figure in January, the City’s administration worked with council members, the police department and contractors to look at areas for potential cost savings. This method included:
- Prioritizing functionality over aesthetic features
- Setting aside $1.8 million over the past two fiscal years;
- And building additional costs into the police department’s capital budget over the next three years.
This brought the final contract amount down by more than $3 million from the original bid. The contract was added to the February 19 meeting of the Hattiesburg City Council and passed unanimously.
“We’re proud to see this project come to fruition at a price tag that’s affordable to our taxpayers,” said City Council President and Ward 3 Councilman Carter Carroll. “It’s a great day for the City of Hattiesburg and the Hattiesburg Police Department.”