Somerville starts construction on new emergency services complex

SOMERVILLE – Not even rain could dampen spirits Thursday afternoon when the borough celebrated a long-awaited dream becoming a reality.

Officials and emergency responders gathered to mark the groundbreaking of the borough's emergency services complex at the corner of Gaston Avenue and Cliff Street, a project that has been in the works for more than two decades.

"The complex will put Somerville's police department and fire companies under one roof for the first time," said Mayor Dennis Sullivan. "Government is often chastised for moving too slowly and inefficiently in getting the job done, but today we finally put shovel to dirt as an idea that began in the late 20th century becomes a reality."

When an emergency services complex was first proposed, there was "many nay-sayers who said it would never happen," said former Fire Chief Frank McAleavey.

The volunteer firefighters, who belong to three independent fire companies, had to be convinced "they could live under the same roof" with the police department, McAleavey said.

But, six years ago when the idea of an emergency services complex was revived, all the stakeholders agreed their respective headquarters were inadequate, said Councilman Granville Brady.

That was the biggest stumbling block. After that, Brady said, "I thought it would be a piece of cake."

What came next was designing the new complex that would meet the needs of the police and fire departments.

"All the stakeholders stayed the course," Brady said. "We all worked together for the betterment of Somerville."

To put a package together for financing the project, the biggest municipal construction since Somerville High School was completed a half century ago, Brady turned to Colin Driver, the borough's director of economic development.

The overall cost of the project is estimated to be about $31 to $34 million.

However, money from Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements with developers will fund the construction under a lease-purchase agreement with Stonewater LLC. The firm has developed or managed projects throughout the United States, including an FBI field headquarters in Atlanta, a Coast Guard Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the headquarters of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, among other projects.

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Stonewater will build the headquarters, then lease it to the borough for 40 years at which time Somerville will take ownership.

At annual rents of $1 million to $1.7 million, the total lease cost over the four decades is $67.4 million with the PILOT money over the same time totaling $136 million.

However, the borough has the option to buy out the lease at any time. There is also a provision in the agreement with Stonewater to split any construction cost savings with the borough, which could be used toward rent or a lump sum payment.

"The work we begin today is the result of many talented individuals too numerous to name, but know that this project reflects both the expertise and passion of a group of people with the common goal of protecting Somerville both today and in a future that none of us here can predict," Sullivan said. "It is my fervent hope that years from now the residents of Somerville will be able to say, “Our town got it right in 2022!”

Sullivan quoted a proverb: "Good things come to those who wait, but better things come to those who work for it.”

The complex, depending on when the Department of Transportation and the Department of Environmental Protection issues permits, could be finished in March 2024.

The building will be two stories with a mezzanine. The police department will be in the southern part of the building while the fire department will be in the northern part.

The ground floor of police headquarters will have a sally port, holding cells, interview rooms, a squad room and an entry area. The second floor will have offices, a fitness room to be shared by both departments, locker rooms and a break room.

The second-floor mezzanine will be for evidence storage.

The first floor of the firehouse will have bays for the fire trucks plus storage for turnout gear and other equipment.

The second floor will house the borough's emergency operations center, bunk rooms for personnel who have to stay at the facility during emergencies, offices, showers, a dayroom, a kitchen and dining area.

In the T-shaped lot, there will be parking for about 80 vehicles behind the building with about a dozen more spaces behind the police headquarters. The parking lot and its lighting will be shielded from the neighboring residential properties.

Entry to the complex will be from both Gaston Avenue and Cliff Street.

The borough bought the 1.77-acre property, the site of the former Gaston Avenue Bakery, on the west side of Gaston Avenue at Cliff Street for $1.4 million in 2018. The funds for the purchase came from a property tax settlement with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital a few blocks away.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Somerville starts construction on emergency services complex