Fishers police headquarters plan would demolish recently renovated courthouse
FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) – A $12 million price tag isn’t all that concerns some Fishers neighbors about a new police headquarters. It’s the fact that a recently renovated building would have to be demolished.
Mayor Scott Fadness is proposing the police headquarters to go at 3 Municipal Drive in Fishers. In order to do so, it would eliminate the city courthouse and IT building.
The facility got a $341,000 upgrade two years ago.
“Okay,” Fishers resident Dawn Michal said. “It does seem like a bit of a waste to do that.”
“You can’t get hard-headed over it,” Fishers resident John Campella said. “Okay, it is a lot of money, but sometimes these things happen.”
Two years ago, the courthouse was near 116th Street. It was demolished to make way for the new apartment complex.
When the BMV branch decided to leave the building next door, the town decided to put the courthouse there, and spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate it.
In order to transform it from a BMV, Fishers changed the first floor layout. Furniture was purchased, lines wired and security features added.
City leaders say the site was viewed as a short-term solution and that it’s time for another location because police need space.
Since the current headquarters opened, the force has grown by nearly 300 percent. Plus the city spends $36,000 a year in storage.
“If we need that, then let’s build it,” Michal said. “Let’s keep our community safe.”
“$12 million facility, demolish a building that we just renovated,” Campella said. “That’s fine, but that’s one alternative. Do we have other alternatives that we’re considering?”
Mayor Fadness plans to make this part of his 2017 budget proposal at this month’s council meeting. If passed, leaders say not all of the renovation money would be lost.
They could salvage furniture and equipment for the new site. The plan would be to move the court and IT into the old police headquarters. City leaders expect it’ll cost money to renovate, but at this time, aren’t sure how much.