Critical Public Safety Center Moves Forward

The Raleigh City Council, on Dec. 4, approved moving ahead with the proposed Critical Public Safety Facility and authorized solicitation and of the Construction Manager-at-Risk (CMAR) for future approval for the project.

The City of Raleigh commissioned Pearce Brinkley Cease and Lee (PBC+L) /AECOM in July to program and design the City of Raleigh Critical Public Safety Facility, that would house the Emergency Communications Center, Emergency Operations Center and the City’s Primary Data Center.

This initial Phase One design services included the evaluation and updating of the departmental programming, site evaluation, master planning, and initial conceptual building design efforts. In addition, the City Council authorized conducting a security and threat assessment as a component of the Critical Public Safety Facility’s development. The City contracted with Burns and McDonnell for Phase One threat and security analysis services associated with the initial development of a new facility.

Programming workshops conducted by Pearce, Brinkley, Cease and Lee/AECOM and Burns and McDonnell associated with the conceptual development of this project concluded the following:

• The site is appropriate and satisfactory for the critical public safety functions;
• The site can accommodate the necessary communications tower but will require a zoning variance;
• There is sufficient capacity on the site for some future expansion but will require structured parking;
• The facilities can accommodate a potential joint Emergency Operations Center with Wake County; and,
• Geographically and functionally the site is not well suited to accommodate police district facilities.

The recommended phase one of the Critical Public Safety Center facility is approximately 95,000 square feet with a cost of approximately $69 million. The cost includes $15 million for required technology components. In addition, an allowance for the potential partnership with Wake County for a Joint Emergency Operations Center is included.

To comply with security requirements the main part of the site would be protected by a decorative fence with only a limited opening and parking area for visitors. Another important feature on the site is the provision of a separate receiving building for all deliveries (mail, parcel, etc.) that is outside the secure perimeter to limit the exposure of the main building to potential threats.