Renovation on the building housing the new Allen Park City Hall and Police Department is nearing completion, with police officials expected to move in this weekend. City Hall employees will move into the building after the Police Department transfer.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – In spite of weather construction delays, the new city hall and police department is nearing completion, with police personnel expected to move in this weekend, with city officials to follow.
City Administrator Mark Kibby reported at the May 7 city council meeting, held at the Allen Park Civic Arena, 15800 White Avenue, that the movement of personnel from the current location was delayed again until the construction crews were closer to completion.
“It just wasn’t safe for the residents or the workers to be in there at this point in time,” Kibby said. “They have made great progress in the past few days, and they still have a few more days to go.”
Kibby said the Police Department move was scheduled to begin May 11, and its offices operational May 12.
He said city hall office furniture and supplies were physically moved the weekend before, but because some of the rooms were not yet completed last weekend, some of the furniture was moved into the offices May 7, and new furniture for the clerical area should arrive May 16.
Kibby said a temporary office has been set up in the community center to accept water bill payments, and by May 14 the new city hall location should be open to the public. He said signs and banners announcing the move will be displayed at the location being vacated, so residents will know operations have moved to the new site.
Kibby said the brick and pre-cast stonework on the new city hall is complete, concrete walks have been poured in front of the building, the asphalt is scheduled to be done mid-week, and frames for the glass lobby walls have been installed and most of the glass walls have been installed.
“To give you an idea, the glass goes up 22 feet, so you can just imagine a wall of glass,” Kibby said. “It is pretty impressive when you get in there.”
Kibby said contractors are working on the counters and other built-in furniture for the police department, as well as some glass partitions to separate the offices.
He said the jail cell floors have been epoxied, and when that dries the remaining work will be completed in the cells.
“There is a lot of activity going on in the new city hall and police department,” Kibby said.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected].)