By William Moore
Daily Journal
STARKVILLE – The Starkville Board of Aldermen approved funding and awarded a $4.48 million contract to Columbus-based Weathers Construction to renovate the downtown police department.
“We anticipate construction will begin next week,” said Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman. “It is a 270-day contract which puts completion in May 2017.”
The board approved the sale of $5.4 million in bonds to fund the project.
The project to convert the former city hall into a standalone police department was delayed about seven weeks when the first round of bids came in over budget. To reduce the overall cost, officials scaled back the scope of the project. The sally port, secure parking lot and rehabilitation of the drug court were removed.
With the Weathers bid coming in more than $900,000 under the total funding level, some of the excluded parts could be added back.
“We will put (the excess funding) in a contingency fund for the start of the project,” Wiseman said. “If we find toward the end of the project there is still a substantial contingency left, we would look at adding things back.
“The first thing we would look at is the security wall and the exterior parking enclosure. That is a pretty prominent corner in downtown, so we are looking at an extensive wall that is both secure and aesthetically appealing.”
Any remaining funds would be used for drug court renovations before the sally port would be considered.
The building at 101 Lumpkin St. was built around 1940 as an armory for a field artillery battalion. The original gymnatorium was converted into two stories of offices, but the wooden stage on the north end remains, complete with the original shuffleboard court.
According to Police Chief Frank Nichols, the police department started sharing space in city hall in 1968. When the city administration moved to the new city hall two blocks away in October 2015, it left the old building for the police to expand.
“We’re going to be able to go from around 9,000-square-feet of space to about 29,000,” Nichols said in July. “It will be nice to have everyone under one roof.”
Since it is in a historic district, the outside of the building will retain its Art Moderne style.
While the new wiring will provide for the technology of today, the craftsmanship of 75 years ago will be retained where available. They will be able to salvage some of the old character of the building, like the original hardwood floors in the front wings and in the stage.
william.moore@journalinc.com