Mayor Bing officially opens new Detroit Public Safey Headquarters
Michigan Chronicle
July 2013
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing cut the ribbon to officially open a $60 million, state-of-the-art Public Safety Headquarters that will be the new home of Detroit’s Police and Fire departments. The mayor was joined by Chief of Police Chester L. Logan, Fire Commissioner Donald Austin and other public officials and dignitaries at a special ceremony.
“The opening of this state-of-the-art Public Safety Headquarters is a defining moment for Detroit’s transformation,” Mayor Bing said. “Previous administrations talked about constructing a new headquarters, but we have succeeded in building a facility that will enable our police, fire, EMS and IT departments to operate more efficiently and better serve our citizens. The consolidated operations will save the city more than $2.7 million a year.”
In addition to Police and Fire, the Public Safety Headquarters will house the city’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and its Information Technology Systems Department, as well as the Detroit Building Authority. In addition, the State of Michigan plans to open a new Metropolitan Detroit Forensic Science Laboratory in the building in 2014.
The Public Safety Headquarters is a seven-story, 400,000 square-foot building that underwent an extensive, 2.5 year redevelopment. It was originally designed and built in 1974 as a data center for the Internal Revenue Service. MGM Grand Detroit used the building as a temporary casino from 1999 to 2005. The City of Detroit bought the building in August 2010 for $6.3 million from MGM Grand Detroit LLC. The City’s redevelopment process included gutting the previous building’s interior and demolition of a parking garage, as well as ‘all-inclusive design, engineering and reconstruction.
Detroit-based White Construction and Turner Construction Company formed a joint venture to lead the renovation as construction manager. SmithGroupJJR was the architect and engineer of record for the project. The Detroit Building Authority handled site selection, negotiated the building purchase, and managed the development project as building owner. In addition, the Building Authority created a condominium from the main building and sold two units to the State of Michigan for its Metropolitan Detroit Forensic Science Laboratory. Hines Detroit Services is the building manager. The Pubic Safety Headquarters is located at 1301 Third Street.
The Public Safety Headquarters consolidates operations from five separate locations that City departments formerly leased and owned. The State’s Forensic Science Lab also moves employees from other locations to the new building. City of Detroit occupants will complete their move into the Public Safety Headquarters by July 15, when normal business operations will begin. Citizens should continue to contact their local police precinct or fire station for most public safety services, and 911 should be called for emergencies. The ribbon-cutting also included the unveiling of six new police patrol cars, the first of 100 patrol cars to be delivered later this year. Mayor Bing announced in March that Detroit’s corporate community would acquire the new police vehicles and 23 new EMS ambulances with an $8 million contribution to his Active and Safe ‘Campaign for improved public safety and recreation facilities.