For the first time, Campbell County’s police, office of emergency management, dispatch center and coroner’s office will all be under one roof.
Campbell County held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for the new Campbell County Public Safety complex, a 58,000-square-foot facility at 1114 Racetrack Road in Alexandria. The total site is over 17 acres and will include the office complex and a garage facility.
Campbell County Judge/Executive Steve Pendery said at the groundbreaking on April 27, that Campbell County’s public safety agencies have been doing good work for the community in spaces that are no longer cutting-edge.
“That means faster response times, better communication and more coordinated service when residents need help and minutes matter when something major happens,” Pendery said. “In Campbell County, our public safety agencies will respond as one unified team, not as four separate offices trying to coordinate from four widely separated locations.”
The Campbell County Police Department and the Campbell County Office of Emergency Management are both currently located in an out-of-date building, according to the county, on Constable Drive in Alexandria.
The county currently rents space from a funeral home in Erlanger for body storage and for performing sampling for the Campbell County Coroner’s Office. The Campbell County Consolidated Dispatch Center is currently in the basement of the Newport City Building at 998 Monmouth St.
Pendery said the complex is not simply a general office building. He said it’s purpose-built. Every single space in the building was designed specifically for the agency that will use it.
Architect Brandstetter Carroll, Inc. was also in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Co-Founder Larry Brandstetter said the company has designed over 200 public safety buildings in four states.
“This building, I believe, will demonstrate where public safety is headed nationally,” Brandstetter said. “This includes the flexibility to accept future societal changes, as well as Campbell County growth.”
After meeting in a closed session on Sept. 3, the Campbell County Fiscal Court voted in a regular session to purchase the complex property (three parcels of land) for $1.6 million. The land was purchased at an independently assessed valuation from Tom and Diana Russell.
The county awarded the construction manager-at-risk contract for the project to Conger Construction Group. President and CEO of Conger Construction Group, Justin Conger, was in attendance at the groundbreaking.
“As construction manager at risk, Conger guarantees the final cost of this project,” Conger said. “This isn’t a marketing line. That’s what the contract says. It means the taxpayers of Campbell County are protected from surprises and schedule delays.”
The construction manager will work in two phases. The first phase is the pre-construction phase, for which the county will pay a flat fee. Campbell County Administrator Matt Elberfeld said in December it should be about $76,000, but it is authorized for up to $80,000. The construction manager will review the building design, work with the project’s architect, and provide material recommendations.
“Construction is an unassuming business,” Conger said. “The first several months, you’re going to drive by the site and think, ‘Are they ever going to get moving? It sure has taken them a while. I haven’t seen much going on.’ I’m here to tell you a lot is happening. The most important parts of any project you will never see. We are planning, organizing, scheduling and budgeting, laying the foundation for this project, literally. And then somewhere down the road, we go vertical.
Construction is expected to start this summer and is estimated to take 18-24 months.
