The Port Washington Police District is planning to relocate its station headquarters to a more central location on Main Street, which the police say will provide additional benefits to the community and technological modernization.
“We are excited to start the process of building this new facility that is so desperately needed for our community, our officers and staff,” Port Washington Police District Chairperson Brian G. Staley Sr. said.
The headquarters will be located at 128 Main St., formerly the location of the Knowles Funeral Home. The current headquarters is located at 500 Port Washington Blvd.
The $8.8 million purchase of the 1.47-acre blighted parcel of land was approved by the police’s Board of Commissioners. It was acquired through the district’s capital reserve funds, and a portion of the reserve usage will be replenished when the current headquarters is sold.
The district said it has outgrown its current headquarters, which has “reached the end of its useful life.” The police said a third-party study from the 1990s determined the necessity for a new facility.
“This investment is more than 25 years overdue as we have outgrown our current headquarters several decades ago and can no longer make the current space work for operating a modern police force to the best of our ability,” Staley said. “The new building will provide many tangible and intangible benefits to the community that will lead to better connectivity, access and service for everyone.”
The current headquarters, which was not designed to be ADA-compliant, was built in 1958 for just 35 officers and staff. The district currently employs 80 individuals who are “crammed into spaces designed for less than half as many individuals,” the district said in a press release.
While the building has undergone renovations and expansions to accommodate the growing district, officials said it was not designed for the advancement of technology.
“The new facility will not only be built with modern amenities and serve to be more convenient and accessible to our residents, but it will help the district solve its space constraints and improve operations and other efficiencies in the process,” said Port Washington Police District Chief Robert Del Muro. “It will also help us address current code violations and bring the district’s facility on par with current police facility standards.”
Also included in the new headquarter’s design plans is a multipurpose room that can host district meetings, trainings and community events.
The district noted that parking and vehicle storage have also been an issue, which the new headquarters will adequately accommodate. Included in the parking expansion are spaces for community members to park as well.
The district said the new headquarters will also be a LEED-certified structure, a green building rating system, to make it “as green and sustainable as possible.”
The new headquarters is estimated to cost another $30 million to build and equip. The district said the funding for this will sought through bond financing with the Town of North Hempstead.
The district said a community meeting will be held once building designs are nearing the final phase. Residents will be able to ask questions, learn about the project and provide feedback during the meeting.
More information can be found on the Port Washington Police District’s website. The district is encouraging residents to email them at newhq@pwpd.ny.gov if they have any questions or would like a tour of the existing headquarters to better understand the need for a new one.
“Needless to say, we are very excited to see this project come to fruition for our officers, our staff and the community we serve,” Del Muro said.