Council will consider strategic building purchase to consolidate Public Safety Headquarters

Mayor Kirk Watson announced Friday that negotiations are nearing a close for the City of Austin to purchase a 386,000-square-foot facility in Southwest Austin near Zilker Park and in close proximity to downtown that, if approved, will serve as a consolidated headquarters for Austin Police, Austin Fire, and Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services.

"This purchase represents a historic opportunity to co-locate our public safety administrative and strategic functions, allowing for unprecedented collaboration and efficiencies," Watson said. "All three agencies have been housed in aging, outdated facilities with costly problems ranging from failing mechanical systems and lack of parking to crumbling foundations and inadequate restroom facilities.

"This opportunity also allows the City to take advantage of the current commercial real estate market to acquire a modern facility that will generate significant cost savings and increased efficiencies in the long run and improve the delivery of vital public safety services. Not to mention providing proper working conditions for our sworn and non-sworn personnel."

The City Council is scheduled to vote on the acquisition at its meeting on Oct. 24, and the Council's Public Safety Committee will hear a presentation on the acquisition at its meeting on Monday, Oct. 14.

Co-locating public safety departments will significantly enhance the ability to respond to emergencies and manage incidents more efficiently by facilitating real-time communication and coordination among Austin Police, Austin Fire and Austin-Travis County EMS. These joint efforts under one roof will create a shared space that supports training, streamlines information sharing, and promotes a cohesive operational strategy, leading to improved service and stronger public safety outcomes.

The purchase price of the building is $107.6 million - $275 per square foot - and is proposed to be funded through the issuance of Certificates of Obligation. Building a new comparable facility would cost the City approximately $234 million, or $600 per square foot, more than double the purchase price. The City expects to spend about $13 million in design and renovations to ensure the space suits specific public safety needs. The building itself and its systems have been meticulously maintained and are in excellent condition.

"Revitalizing existing buildings is a wise investment as we will use existing infrastructure, minimizing the need for new construction costs," City Manager T.C. Broadnax said. "This sustainable approach not only saves on maintenance expenses, but also unlocks exciting opportunities for the current locations that house Austin Police, Fire and EMS."

Currently, public safety headquarters are spread across several facilities that are between 54 and 64 years old. All have extensive and costly problems.

• Austin Police Department's downtown headquarters building was built in 1970 and is functionally obsolete. Problems include wastewater breaks and leaks, non-functioning bathrooms, insufficient parking, and failing mechanical systems. The building is also largely inaccessible and unwelcoming to the public due to outdated design.
• Austin Fire Department's headquarters on Ed Bluestein Blvd. was built in 1960 and is woefully insufficient for its current use, which also includes some Austin-Travis County EMS operations. The facility has a faulty foundation, cracked walls and ceilings, significant ADA challenges, and is in a difficult-to-access location.
• EMS is headquartered in the RBJ Building on Waller Street and shares space with some Austin Public health operations. A former nursing home, it was built in 1970, is experiencing mechanical system failures, needs new fire protection and sanitary waste systems and is on a highly constrained site with insufficient parking.

"This vision of a co-located public safety headquarters has been in the works for more than 20 years, and we are excited it is so close to becoming a reality," Broadnax said. "These critical public safety efforts under one roof will create a shared space that supports training, streamlines information sharing, and promotes a cohesive operational strategy, leading to improved service and stronger public safety outcomes for all Austinites."<_o3a_p>

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