Plans to move Pell City police under way
Apr. 28—The Pell City Police Department may soon be moving.
The department, which is currently housed in the back of the Pell City City Hall building, has outgrown the small space, according to Pell City Police Chief Clay Morris.
The now 45-person department is looking to move to a nearby building, just across the railroad tracks in downtown.
The empty Boys and Girls Club building on 19th Street South currently offers more than 5,000 square feet, but with plans to add on to the building, the police department will have plenty of room to continue to grow alongside the city.
Plans discussed recently include adding a training facility, evidence storage facility, interview rooms and a community area where residents can use the facilities in a safe area and get to know some of the local police officers.
At the April 10 meeting of the Pell City City Council, the council approved a resolution to allow Anniston-based architectural firm Christian and Associates to develop designs and construction plans in the amount of $231,351.
The cost associated with the planning process represents about 6.5 percent of the total estimated cost of the project — $3,559,250.
The renovation will add an additional 5,000-square-feet to the property.
According to the proposal from Christian and Associates, the construction is estimated to be completed in one year.
The city's next steps will be a topographical survey of the property and a geographical investigation. This process will cost between $10,000 and $15,000.
