Design of Edmond's new public safety center are revealed

The architect's drawings of the city's proposed 70,000-square-foot center were released on Wednesday.

The building to house police headquarters, a 911 communication center and emergency management will be built at the corner of First Street and Littler Avenue. It will include three floors plus a basement where holding cells will be located.

The price tag is estimated at $25.65 million. Designers anticipate another $2.84 million for furnishings and equipment, for an estimated cost of $28.84 million.

A second 15,000-square-foot building will be constructed on city-owned property just west of 33rd and Broadway. The James H. Harrod Vehicle Maintenance Facility was once on the property.

Evidence and vehicle storage along with the crime laboratory will be housed in the second building. Construction cost is estimated to be $3.14 million with another $660,000 for furnishings and equipment.

The estimated cost for both buildings and furnishings and equipment is $32.29 million.

“We have designed a strong facility, but not extravagant,” said Philip McNayr, principal architect with Frankfurt Short and Bruza.

Voters on Oct. 11, 2011, approved a half-cent sales tax increase for five years to build the two buildings, which are expected to meet the city's needs for 20 years.

The exterior of the public safety center will be brick and stone masonry with arched motifs similar to other downtown buildings, said John Osborne, design engineer for Frankfurt Short and Bruza.