The Southport Police Department could move into a former bank. Here's why.

The Southport Police Department is looking for a new home — again.

The department has been housed on the second floor of the Southport City Hall since 2019, and Southport Police Chief Todd Coring said due to the growth in all city divisions, the police department could soon relocate.

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As the city continues to grow, so does its staff.

Coring explained the need for a new police station comes down to growth. In addition to adding new people and homes, the city is also adding personnel.

A number of positions were added over the past year, including an additional planner and a human resources director, and the adopted 2023-2024 budget includes 10 additional staff positions.

“We’re busting at the seams,” Coring said.

The city is conducting a facilities study to determine its needs.

In early 2023, the Southport Board of Aldermen voted to allocate $50,000 to begin the process of building a new police station and reorganizing city hall so staff offices were present throughout the building. Currently, the police department occupies a portion of the second floor of the current city hall building.

In April, the Southport Board of Aldermen approved hiring an architecture firm to conduct a facilities study to determine what space is needed by the police department and the other city departments.

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Finding a new permanent home could take some time.

Once the study is completed, Coring said finding the department a new permanent home could take three to five years. He noted city manager Bonnie Thierren has asked him to look at several options, including property the city already owns.

One option is the existing Southport Fire Substation on Nash Street, which would need upfits and additions. Another alternative is the former Southport City Hall/Historic Brunswick County Courthouse building. Currently, Up Your Arts, a local nonprofit that is dedicated to promoting the arts, has a memorandum of understanding to fundraise and renovate the building, creating a center for the arts. But renovating the building will take a significant amount of money due to toxic mold and disrepair.

While these options would take some work to make them possible, many people — including Coring — like their location.

“I would love to see the police department back downtown,” Coring said.

The department will likely have to find a temporary home.

Because a new permanent facility is likely three to five years away, city officials are considering moving the department to a temporary location. Coring said the city does have a facility in mind: an old bank near the Southport Walmart.

The building offers about 2,500 square feet of space, a little more than double its current space. It also has a secure vault for evidence, includes space for meeting with the with public, and is on one level, which would make it easier for residents to access.

The one drawback of the building is its location.

“It’s a little farther out of town than I would want us to be,” Coring said.

Coring said while he has looked at the facility, the city has not yet leased the property.

This will be the department’s fourth move in the last decade.

The police department was located in the former Southport City Hall/Brunswick County Courthouse building until 2013 when the building fell into disrepair and developed mold. At that time, the city moved its police department to the building next to Keziah Park, which is now the Indian Trail Meeting Hall. In 2019, the Indian Trail facility was damaged during a storm, and the department moved to its current location on the second floor of City Hall.

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This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Southport Police Department headquarters moving