The cost is estimated at almost $28-million.
Frederick, Md (KM) Some state money is being requested by the City of Frederick to help renovate the former Social Services building on East All Saints Street into a new police headquarters. Mayor Michael O’Connor made that pitch during a meeting on Monday with the Legislative Delegation.
“Our estimate is that the total project cost is going to be in the vicinity of $27-million to $28-million all in with the renovation cost and the acquisition of the land,” he said.
Delegate Karen Lewis Young said the city should approach the Governor and have this project placed in the state’s capital budget. “That’s a huge capital project. And the Governor has far more flexibility than we do in the Legislature,” she said.
State Senator Ron Young said it may too late at this time of the year. “The best guidance is you can’t wait this late. It’s going to be very difficult. We’ll see what we can do. The Governor’s usually got his budget fixed by now,” he said.
“We’re somewhat late because we’re constrained a little bit by the calendar that we’ve been on,”: Mayor O’Connor responded. . “And if we’re late for ’22, we certainly know that we’re not going to be late to ’23 because the project is going to be on our radar here for the next couple of years.”
The Board of Aldermen voted last month to purchase the building as a new police headquarters. The Police Department has been housed in a section of the County Court House for several years, and its running out of space.
Mayor O’Connor says he hopes to send out a request for a proposal in early 2022 for architectural, engineering and design work that needs to be done. He says construction will get underway in the next year, with the new headquarters opening up by 2024.
Senator Young says there may be an opportunity to get some planning money from the state. “They like shovel-ready projects. And the best thing we can do this year is get some planning money,” he said.
Lawmakers recommended the City contact the Governor’s Office to see if it can get some state money for the project. “I’m perfectly amenable to reaching out to {Management and Budget} Secretary {David} Brinkley and I will do that to see how far along to see if they’ve put the capital under lock and key, or if there’s still room,” said Delegate Carol Krimm.
Mayor O’Connor says he’s like an amount similar to the $2-million dollars received by the City of Gaithersburg to construct its police headquarters.
By Kevin McManus