The transaction—approved in the closed session by council during its meeting Sept. 13—was for just more than $217,000 and will provide additional parking spots for the new police station.
A 5-acre tract of land at the corner of Fairway Drive and Park Drive, across from the fire station, was purchased in April from Hillwood as well.
Police Chief Jeriahme Miller noted the design work for the new station started in September and should take 48 weeks to complete, then an estimated two-year build process for the facility will happen following council approving a contractor.
The projected cost for the main building, support building and site is $31.2 million, and a shooting range is estimated to cost $6.2 million for a total of about $37.4 million. Planning for a new facility started in 2020.
The current law enforcement center—a repurposed grocery store—is around 17,500 square feet and opened in 2002. The proposed facility will be 58,400 square feet—more than three times the size of the current center.
The new facility will include additional storage, a larger dispatch center, more meeting and conference rooms, a larger training area, and a better separation of courts and police. The Roanoke Police Department is contracting with the city of Southlake to use its shooting range for training.
The funding for the new police department building was aided by the passage of two propositions in May that established and created a Crime Control Prevention District, funded by a 0.5% sales tax.
