Virtual tour shows end result of St. Charles police station project

Checking on the progress of the new St. Charles police station has become routine for Chief James Keegan.

At least every other day, he puts on a hard hat, safety vest and glasses and ventures to the construction site of what will become his department's headquarters in about a year's time.

Community members, too, have taken interest in the state-of-the-art facility being built where the Valley Shopping Center once stood. Keegan said he often notices cars pulling into a nearby parking lot to watch the construction activity, which so far has focused on demolition, site work and the building's foundation.

"Everybody's just tickled pink that we're seeing progress," Keegan said. "Our hopes and dreams and designs are coming to fruition, and to see everything tangibly going on each day is exciting."

The 56,000-square-foot station at 1515 W. Main St. is designed to include more public spaces and a more operationally efficient layout than the police department's existing facility downtown, Keegan said. The building will contain a wellness center, a community room, secure offices and a squad car garage with a drive-in bay.

St. Charles' government services committee got a sneak peek this week at how the nearly $25 million project is expected to turn out. Representatives from Oak Brook-based FGM Architects gave city officials a virtual tour of the station, which includes modern fixtures, durable materials and design elements that tie in the city's mission and history.

A team of city employees worked closely with FGM during the project's design phase, Keegan said. The group participated in meetings and toured other stations designed by the same firm, including those in Palatine, Arlington Heights, Streamwood and Hanover Park.

Project leaders also have been collecting historic photos and mementos from the St. Charles History Museum, as well as police department retirees, Keegan said.

"Although it's a new building, we wanted to honor prior generations," he said. "Our thought was to incorporate our brand and what St. Charles represents - both past, present and future - into some of the design elements."

The city now is in its final stages of awarding construction contracts for the facility, which is targeted for occupancy in the fall of 2019. Aldermen acting as a committee on Monday approved an $8.4 million bid package for building finishes such as site concrete, asphalt paving, heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Contracts for the final construction components likely will be brought before the city council in the next couple of weeks, Keegan said. Bids for interior furnishings and storage systems are forthcoming.

"We're optimistic that we can meet our ultimate goal of coming in with a project under budget and on time," he said.