The City of El Paso, in an effort to reduce anticipated facility repair and maintenance costs, is studying the possibility of building a new police headquarters.
The department’s current main office is located inside a two-story structure that was built in the late 1940s as a Sears store at 911 N. Raynor Street.
That structure, along with a parking garage, served two generations of shoppers in El Paso until late 1988 when El Paso renovated it for use as the new headquarters for the city’s police department.
Located in the Five Points area, which during the post-World War II years was the city’s first suburban neighborhood, the old Sears building in recent years has been frequently in need of repairs.
Speaking before a recent meeting of the El Paso City Council, Police Chief Greg Allen detailed the problems with the building, remarking “The question needs to be asked: how far do we let it go before it gets out of control.”
El Paso Mayor Dee Margo has additionally entered the discussion, remarking in his recent State of the City address: “We need to keep our eye on the future; we need to consider the need for a new headquarters for both the police and fire departments.”
It was noted that just trying to repair and bring up to date the garage on the Sears site carries with it a $1.5 million price tag.
City officials now say a study is underway looking at the expense of maintaining the old Sears building as well as how much it would cost to build an entirely new headquarters.
It has not been announced when that study will be made public.
By Garry Boulard
