Work may soon begin on the building of a new and greatly needed station for the Denver Police Department about half a dozen blocks from the Colorado State Capitol.
The City of Denver has released a Request for Proposals for the new District 6 station. The current station is located at 1566 North Washington Street and was built in 1959, originally housing medical offices.
The Denver Police Department moved into the structure in 1995.
In recent years the building has been subject to criticism for not being up to date. The publication Westword said it might be the “crummiest” such police station structure in the city, noting its tight hallways and small offices, not to mention “holding cells that would almost look medieval if it weren’t for the white paint.”
According to city documents, the station also lacks community space and is not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. A city safety operation assessment report has additionally indicated that the structure is 145% over capacity.
In November of 2017 voters in Denver approved a $937 million general obligation bond program called Elevate Denver. Of that amount, $77 million was set to target six police department facility projects, with $25 million going for the District 6 station work.
Although city officials initially considered upgrading the building, it has since been deemed more cost effective to build an entirely new structure. Location for the new station is 1331 N. Cherokee Street, roughly just over a mile to the southwest of the Washington Street facility.
The new station, to be built adjacent to the department’s main administration building and crime laboratory, will provide enhanced office and community space and, according to the city, will “address capacity, accessibility, and efficiency concerns.”
The RFP submission deadline for the project is May 7.
By Garry Boulard
