The Greenburgh Town Board is committed to keeping Town residents continually updated on the status of the Greenburgh Police Headquarters & Courthouse project.
To insure the public is provided current information, Chief of Police Brian Ryan, in conjunction with members of the Courthouse and Town Staff, will be holding informational presentations to discuss the current assessment needs study and status of the Police Headquarters & Courthouse.
The current Police Headquarters was built more than 60 years ago. It was designed to house a department of 63 (male) employees and 12 vehicles. It was not built with an eye toward the future: increased workforce, female officers, adequate parking, technology demands and accessibility. Over the years, renovations and additions have been constructed, but with 155 current employees (including 113 sworn officers), with officer locker sizes downsized 50% by necessity to the point their equipment doesn’t fit, and improvised locker rooms for female officers, by any measure, the existing facilities are undersized and have outlived their useful life. The situation with the one story, single courtroom Town Court, built in 1968, with prisoner holding cells added in the 1980s, is no better, as will be further explained at the scheduled meetings listed below.
To be clear, as of today, NO decisions have been made on the plans moving forward.
Here is an update of some of the actions taken by the Town Board to address the inadequate, non-conforming Police Headquarters/Town Courthouse:
Lothrop Associates LLP Architects:
Lothrop Associates was contracted to update a March 2006 detailed "Needs Assessment Study" of the existing Police Headquarters & Courthouse. The resulting updated 2019 Detailed Needs Assessment Study is based on current law enforcement standards for police facilities and courthouses. The Study also included the space requirements needed to meet the standards of the new NYS Criminal Justice Law to become effective January 1, 2020. The upgrades to police & court facilities required to insure compliance with the new state criminal laws were unfunded mandates imposed by New York State. The completed Needs Assessment Study is the basis for determining the space requirements for both the Police Headquarters and the Courthouse.
CBRE Group:
The Town Board contracted with CRBE Group to identify potential alternatives for the police & courthouse facilities based on the needs assessment study space requirements. CRBE is one of the nation’s largest real estate firms specializing in commercial properties. CRBE has extensive experience in both private sector and municipal properties. The alternatives proposed will include a review of the potential for upgrading the existing police & courthouse locations. The Town is awaiting the recommendations of CRBE, and expects to receive the recommendations by February 1, 2020. The recommendations received from CBRE will be presented to the public.
The Town Board is focused on continuing due diligence in this project, insuring fiscal integrity, and maintaining transparency through continued communications with residents.
TOWN BOARD MEETING PRESENTATIONS ON COURTHOUSE/POLICE:
The Greenburgh Town Board will begin two scheduled Town Board meetings with a status update on the police/courthouse initiative
Greenburgh Town Hall: December 11, 2019 at 7:30 PM
Greenburgh Town Hall: January 22, 2020 at 7:30 PM
If any community or civic association would like to schedule to meet with Chief Ryan, town officials and others involved with this project and receive the information, please contact my office.
WE WILL STILL KEEP TAXES BELOW THE TAX CAP
The Town Board is also committed to insuring that funding for this project will keep the Town within the “Tax Cap.” (The Town has remained in compliance every year since NYS adopted the “Tax Cap” in 2011.)
As this project moves forward we will be seeking volunteers to participate in this project, and we will keep you posted.
Paul Feiner