Common Council mulls relocation of police department

Aldermen heard an update from Michael Maas, Senior Architect of Lake Delton-based ADCI, who in 2023 conducted a feasibility study on the Buffalo Building at 2504 S. Central Ave., not only to assess its current condition, but also for its potential use as a site for the police department.

“If you think about converting a retail building or a multi-tenant building into the use for a police department, there’s going to be a renovation project that would need to take place, thus the need for a relatively-substantial renovation project if that building is to be considered to be converted for police department use,” Maas told council members and other city officials in attendance.

Maas and his staff developed three different floor plans for renovating the Buffalo Building into a police department, ranging in size from roughly 35,000 to 42,000 square feet, and in price from $13.2 million to $14.1 million.

“With an existing building obviously, we’re trying to use as much of that building as we can to keep it as cost-effective as possible, so we’re trying to re-work things with the least amount of renovation necessary,” Maas said. “But knowing that the building is not of adequate square footage, we also have to look at building an addition or additions onto that building to get to the total area that would be necessary.”

In his assessment, Maas reported that “a total facility properly planned for current needs and future growth will likely be in the range of 37,500 square feet. This additional area will allow the police department necessary growth in the years and decades ahead, with the anticipation the space will allow for a 15-25-year use of the facility.” 

The current police department at 110 W. First St., built in 1981, is approximately 18,000 square feet in size. According to ADCI’s review of the existing facility, “it appeared that most, if not all, areas of the existing building are outgrown, and staff are often moved to make accommodations to utilize spaces other than what they were intended or sized for. In general, it is evident the police department has outgrown the existing building. It was noted that many components of the building are not ADA compliant, including restrooms, stairs, door clearances, clear turn spaces, etc.”

The Wildwood Plaza building, originally constructed in 1996, has approximately 23,400 square feet.

“Three plan options have been developed for consideration of use of the existing Wildwood Plaza building for the police department,” said Maas’ report. “All three options will include the need for some level of demolition, renovation and building expansion. Each option has its own level of pros and cons to be considered.”

For instance, Maas said the building would need an automatic fire protection system, which would require additional water service to the facility. Also, all utilities would have to be modified to remove existing spilt services. Maas also recommends “to fully remove the existing asphalt on the entire lot and re-grade the base course to ensure a solid and stable base for the installation of new asphalt, given the fact a police department renovation project would most likely include one or more building additions to the existing structure.”

“The summary of what that means is that, yes, we came to the assessment that the Wildwood Plaza building can be converted for a police department use,” Maas told council members. “It’s going to take a renovation of the majority of the building area, it’s going to take one or more building additions, but yes, the building will work for that purpose.”

Maas also laid out a new construction option, which he priced at just over $15.3 million.

“There’s multiple millions of dollars of cost savings by using that building and renovating it versus new construction,” Maas said. “The majority of the value of the existing property will be in the site and existing building structure/shell,” his written report to the council concluded.

Possible referendum floated to secure funds for project

Alderman Rebecca Spiros asked that the question be raised, as part of Maas’ presentation and council’s subsequent discussion.

“It’s a lot of money to spend and I’m not sure the taxpayers, that that’s how they would want it spent,” said Spiros.  

City Clerk Jessica Schiferl noted it would be nearly impossible to get such a question ready in time for this fall’s elections.

“If you wanted something on the November ballot for referendum, that does have to be to the county clerk by eight a.m. on August 28th, so you would need to adopt that resolution before that point,” Schiferl noted. “However, there was a change in the referendum laws with Act Twelve, so for an advisory referendum, a municipality can no longer do advisory. You have to be putting forth a referendum with specific dollar amounts with specific purpose. So, I believe you need to have all of your engineering work, all of your plans, finished, finalized, with your total dollar amount ready to come forward before you could go to referendum. So, I don’t think – if that’s really the case – you would be ready for November. You would be looking at – maybe – April, if that could be done. After that, we don’t have any other elections next year.”

District 1 Alderman Mike Feirer expressed his opposition to a referendum.

“Of my twenty-four years in city government, our chances of referendums passing have been slim to none,” Feirer said. “When you ask the citizens to spend ten million dollars, they’re going to say, ‘Why would we want to do that?’ They don’t want to look at the figures. They’re not going to look at the facts. We should just bite the bullet and make the decision on our own. We’re elected to do this. As an alderman, it’s part of our duties to make the big decisions.”  

“I honestly think that the referendum is the right way to go,” said Alderman Mike O’Reilly. “As much as we’re here making decisions as representatives, something of this size – and the shape that our budget’s in – I think going to get their input on it as taxpayers, it’s of the utmost importance. To say we haven’t had luck on them (referendums), I don’t think it’s luck. I think it’s what the people that are paying the bill are telling you what to do with the money, and I think that’s the way it should be in government.”

“I feel that we’ve expressed that we have a need for the department and with every year, that becomes more and more of a problem,” Police Chief Jody Geurink told the council. “As soon as possible,” Chief Geurink responded, when pressed on his ideal timeframe for breaking ground on or renovations for a new police department location. 

The issue of a possible relocated police department – and a potential referendum to pay for it – will get further discussion at another council meeting in the near future.

The Common Council agreed last fall to take ownership of the Wildwood Plaza building and the 1.7 acres of land it sits on, after it was offered to the city for free by the previous owner, Dan O’Connell and Wildwood Real Estate, LLC.