The Sedona Police Station renovation was officially approved to move forward, with construction beginning in January 2022.
At its Tuesday, Nov. 23, meeting, the Sedona City Council approved the $1.99 million contract with the Flagstaff-based company, Hope Construction Inc., despite the original $1.04 million budget set by the city and architect estimate.
The approval and 91.3% increase in costs comes after the council rejected local construction companies’ initial bids for the project on Aug. 26. With bids far above the city’s initial budget, construction was delayed from the original late September start date. The council then reopened bids in October and accepted Hope Construction’s agreement to not exceed $1.99 million.
The project consists of two phases: One for different upgrades to the station, and the second for a 1,675-square-foot expansion. Phase One will include updates to existing locker rooms, meeting rooms, offices and ADA complaint areas. The addition in Phase Two will be dedicated to a new office for report writing, detectives, volunteers and quiet spaces.
“We look forward to working with Hope Construction on the Police Station Remodel Project,” said Andy Dickey, the city’s engineer and director of public works. “We believe we can work together to make this a successful project.”
The police department, along with the city, has been reviewing these specific plans for around two years now. Previous plans discussed moving the city’s court offices to the Sinagua Building, the building adjacent to City Hall, making that space available for the police station expansion, but the plan has since changed and the expansion does not call for the courtrooms to be moved.
The current police station sits at roughly 5,900 square feet, along with the 8,700 square feet for the underground garage. This is not the first proposed renovation for the station over the years. Former SPD Chief Ray Cota stated that the station needed updates back at the 2014 city budget hearings for capital improvements. Even then, the city agreed that the station, which has been in operation since 1998, needed repairs. And over the years, smaller projects have been completed to accommodate the department.
The main issue that SPD has stated through different need assessments and staff reports is that the current station was not built to house a police station, but instead, a police station was made to fit in the existing areas. And according to the city’s community plan, this project will help facilities address the health and welfare needs of the community by improving workflow and amenities for the Sedona Police.
The remaining costs for the project will be covered by the city’s 2023 fiscal budget, as the construction will begin this December with an October 2023 completion goal. The city has also applied for a $900,000 Congressional Direct Spending grant to go toward the project.
