Site of new police station down to two

BANGOR – Shopping for a new home for its police department, Bangor officials have narrowed the number of possible sites to two locations, both of which will be put before the City Council for consideration later this month.

City officials winnowed the number of prospective sites from 10 to a handful of serious contenders. The final two include a lot along Exchange and Washington streets; and another on Main Street near Cedar Street and across from Davenport Park.

The city owns the Exchange Street property, but would have to purchase the Main Street building, although in either case the city expects the project to cost $6.3 million to $6.5 million.

Earlier this week, the council approved borrowing $7 million to cover project costs.

Next up, city councilors will have to determine which of the two sites they prefer. The council is scheduled to meet next Sept. 22.

In the meantime, City Manager Ed Barrett said the city is looking for input from residents.

Both sites are located in or near downtown and provide good access to both the east and west sides of the city. Both sites also are fairly close to the jail and courthouses, although not as close as the existing building at 35 Court St., which abuts the jail and courthouse properties. Each site also is highly visible and accessible to the public.

Initial development of the two projects call for the Exchange and Washington streets site to have a four-story building with a one-story annex, with the Main Street location to be a three-story building and a one-story annex.

Each of the two sites comes with their own benefits and challenges.

The Exchange Street site exists on the 100- and 500-year flood plains – areas with chances of substantial flooding. The 100-year flood plain refers to an area where there is a 1 percent change of a significant flood occurring every year.

Barrett said that would require adding fill to raise the construction site above the flood-plain levels. Expansion on the property would be reduced because a combined sewer overflow tank is buried on the grounds.

There’s more room to expand at the property on Main Street – located next to the lot of the Bangor Radiator Shop on the corner of Cedar and Main streets. The purchase would include the separate parking lot along Summer Street, once used by the car dealership Bean & Conquest.

The Main Street lots, registered to a Quirk family trustee, QV Realty Trust, were bought two years ago by Gopher Hill Communications for $800,000, according to city records. City records show the two have a combined 2004 tax assessed value of $646,600.

Barrett said he doesn’t think traffic along Main Street will create a significant problem for the police, noting that the city’s Central Fire Station is nearby.

In narrowing the decision to the sites on Main and Exchange streets, city officials have moved away from two other contenders: the existing station at 35 Court St.; and the former National Guard armory farther on Main Street.

Razing the existing police station and building anew had been an early leading contender until fill was discovered on the grounds and projected construction costs rose to meet the increased demand for structural support.

The building showed signs of shifting, including cracks in walls and ceilings. There were concerns about putting money into a new building when it wasn’t clear in what condition the retaining wall – an important support structure for both the station and Court Street – was in and how it would hold up if repaired.

The National Guard armory was taken off the short list after the city determined it might be better used as a developed property that would bring in significant property taxes, Barrett said.