3/12/04

Public Safety To Move Into New Police Station
Renovated Station Preserves History, Provides Needed Space and Facilities

Monday, March 15, the Holly Springs Public Safety Department is moving its headquarters to its new police station, located adjacent to Town Hall on Ballentine Street.

The new station, a renovated historical two-story brick building, was constructed in the early 1900s and most recently housed Holly Springs Auto Parts. As part of the renovation process, the building was gutted, leaving only the outer shell of bricks and the slab on which they rested. The 5,000-square-foot station's first level includes a lobby, a conference/training room, officer workstations and a telecommunications room for dispatchers. The upstairs includes interview rooms, an additional conference/training room and offices, including those for Public Safety Chief Cecil Parker, Assistant Chief of Police Services John Herring and Assistant Chief of Fire Services John Jones.

Another bonus of the new station is that it is located adjacent to the Holly Springs Town Hall – a convenience to residents. Little & Associates Architects, the firm that designed Town Hall, also designed the renovations to the police station. Both the Town hall and police station are constructed primarily of brick, and both have a light gray, cement-colored base. A gateway will eventually link the two buildings. The cost of renovations for the police station was $550,000.

Public Safety relocated because of a need for more space and because the condition of the facility it was using, a century-old house along NC 55, was deteriorating. The house has settled so much that places along the floors slope dramatically. The roof leaks, and building does not have insulation. In addition, the back wall and portions of other wooden walls are so rotten that some areas let light through.

The new station is more than double the size of the house where Public Safety was located. In addition to having more room and allowing every police officer to have a workstation, the new station contains an updated electrical system. This will allow Holly Springs to have its own 911 call center.

Currently, Holly Springs residents are encouraged to call 557-9111 to reach the Town emergency service directly; when residents dial 911, they actually contact the Wake County dispatcher. There, calls are prioritized based on the degree of emergency when dispatching them to local police departments.

Eventually, the property where the police were housed is tentatively planned to be sold for commercial development, along with the adjacent fire station property. The downTown fire station is to be relocated adjacent to the Moravian Church property on Holly Springs Road by 2005. The relocation of the fire station from NC 55 will increase the distance between it and the Town's Avent Ferry Road fire station, providing more even fire protection throughout the Town.

Building Renovation Approved Instead of Demolition

When the Town decided to purchase the Holly Springs Auto Parts building two years ago, a decision on how to best use the property had not been made.

“We knew the property was an essential component to our long-term needs on the block,” said Chuck Simmons, assistant Town manager, who oversaw construction of the new Town hall on property adjacent to the Auto Parts building earlier this year.

Possibilities for the Auto Parts property that were considered included demolishing the building and in its place constructing a new building or creating a parking area. Because the Auto Parts building is one of the few historical commercial buildings remaining in Holly Springs, preservation was another option if the building could also serve a practical function, Simmons said.

In the meantime, a 10-year space needs analysis of the police department was conducted. When Town officials reviewed the study, they found that the Auto Parts building, with minimal additions, would meet the police department's current and future space requirements. Enabled to preserve a piece of history while fulfilling the needs of the Town's public safety force, the Town council supported renovation of the building for the police station.

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us