City breaks ground on new police headquarters
The Homewood Police Department and city officials turned the ceremonial first shovelful of dirt on Thursday at the future site of the public safety headquarters in West Homewood.
The morning ceremony on June 7, Police Chief Tim Ross said, is the culmination of several years of planning that began prior to him taking office. Now that ground has been broken, a 13-month construction process will begin before the police can move in.
The new headquarters, located on Bagby Drive, will bring the police department, courts system, jail and police training together into a single location with more square footage and parking for both employees and the public.
"We'll all be able to be under one roof again," Ross said. "Every part of this facility will be a major upgrade."
B.L. Harbert International, the project managers, hosted the groundbreaking. Ross and Mayor Scott McBrayer both thanked Harbert and the architects and other firms that helped create the design. They also noted the "thoughtful consideration" from current and former City Council members to plan for the new headquarters.
"I think at the end of the day, this facility is going to prove, we think, this is the best facility in the state," McBrayer said.
McBrayer said the budget for the project is $22 million, which he views as an investment in residents and the police force.
"I appreciate the work and the determination that our men and women do," McBrayer said. "We'll never be able to say thanks enough."
Ross said that prior to the groundbreaking, he met with former Police Chief Jerry Haynes, who helped establish the current police headquarters at 1833 29th Ave. S. Haynes hired Ross in 1988, and Ross said he hopes the new headquarters will last too long for any of his hires to be chief by the time a new building is needed.
Ross said he is hoping the building will serve Homewood's needs for 50 years.
Ross, McBrayer, City Council members and other city officials and Harbert representatives each turned a shovel of dirt to officially begin the construction process.