Council to consider changing location for planned police training facility
The city of Cape Coral may land on what it says is a better location for its planned police department training facility, paying more upfront but potentially saving millions over time.
The proposed relocation, from the intersection of Andalusia Boulevard and Durden Parkway to 1020 Kismet Parkway West near the North RO plant and future North government complex, would require amending the city’s agreement with facility designer Schenkel & Shultz for a not-to-exceed amount of $158,592.42. It would mitigate, though, costs related to the South Florida Water Management District’s revised wetland delineation on the original site, city officials said.
Mayor John Gunter said he understood that once they started looking at the original site, there would be a lot of environmental mitigation and low-lying land.
“When we really started looking at the site, we realized how much more costly it would be to have it there,” Gunter said. “Even though we may have to go back and redesign for a different location, it was going to be much cheaper in the long run and the city manager will bring us more information Wednesday.”
The Kismet Parkway site was once proposed for a police evidence compound and police substation. This site would be better suited for the police training center, which also would be used for a Florida Department of Law Enforcement Regional Training Facility, and well as for the substation due to the CCPD’s transition to “quadrant-based” response assignments. The Andalusia Boulevard and Durden Parkway site then could become home to the police evidence compound that was planned for the Kismet property.
The land use and zoning at the Kismet property allows for such a facility, there would be no traffic impacts, it would meet the sound ordinance and have perimeter fencing and a landscaping buffer, according to the staff report.
Sticking with the original site would require major earthwork and wetlands mitigation and exotics removal. The new site also has municipal water, which eliminates the need for a potable water well and pumping for a fire protection system. The new site would not need an emergency generator and has three-phase power.
The initial design contract was approved by City Council on May 19 for a not-to-exceed amount of $634,325.08 with a 5 percent contingency for additional services of $31,716.25 for a total of $666,041.33. The amendment would bring the total to $824,633.75 including contingency.
Overall, costs could be lower. The original cost for the training center was estimated at $15.5 million. However, value engineering to the building saves about $2.3 million and the site relocation should save another $1.5 million. This should bring the price down to $11.5 million, though rising construction costs could impact the final numbers, according to the staff presentation.
Communications with the Cape Coral Police Department for comment were not immediately returned.
The discussion on Wednesday will take place at the first regular city council meeting since its hiatus and will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Boulevard. The meeting is open to the public.