PLAN B FOR BUILDING A SALEM POLICE FACILITY

The $82 million police facility bond measure, 24-399, was defeated by Salem voters on
November 8. Now it is time for a PLAN B, because our Police Department needs a new
police facility but not the over-priced, over-sized 148,000 square foot building that
citizens have rejected.

Here is the path that Salem Can Do Better, which led the fight against Measure 24-399,
and Salem Community Vision see as the best way forward.
Were not saying this is the only way. It simply reflects the arguments we made during
the election campaign, which obviously resonated with voters..
(1) Put a PLAN B $62 million bond measure on the May 2017 ballot. This will pay
for a perfectly adequate 75,000 square foot police facility AND seismic upgrades to City
Hall and the Library which was the City of Salem plan until the size and cost of the
police facility doubled, squeezing out lifesaving funds for making the Civic Center
earthquake-safe.
(2) Build the 75,000 square foot police facility on the same OBrien site north of
downtown, where the facility turned down by voters was planned. Leave out a new
911 Center and structured parking, since neither of these costly options is needed.
(3) Hire new Oregon consultants with a proven track record of building costeffective police headquarters. Mackenzie and AC + Co Architecture could be good
choices.
Questions and answers:

Why ask voters to approve a PLAN B ballot measure so soon after they rejected
24-399?

Because the Police Department badly needs a new headquarters. Just not a vastly
overpriced $82 million facility. Also, lives will be lost at City Hall and the Library when
the next Big One earthquake hits, which could be at any time, if seismic upgrades
arent made to the buildings.

What is the basis for the $62 million PLAN B cost estimate?

In the November election Beaverton voters appear to have approved a $35 million
bond for a new Public Safety facility. Mackenzie was the consulting firm which designed
the building. Total cost: $389 per square foot. So a 75,000 sq. ft. Salem police facility
would cost $29.2 million. Add in $5.5 million budgeted for the OBrien land purchase
(Beaverton is building on publicly owned land.) Police facility total: $34.7 million.
In 2016 City of Salem staff estimated it would cost $27 million to make seismic
upgrades to City Hall and the Library. So the grand total for BOTH a new 75,000
square foot police facility and Civic Center seismic upgrades is $62 million ($35 million
+ $27 million). This is $20 million less than the previous $82 million cost for a police
facility alone, money that could be used to meet other needs in Salem.
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PROPOSED TIMELINE
(ambitious, but doable)
November-December 2016. City officials and concerned citizens collaborate on coming up with a
consensus PLAN B for a new police facility and seismic upgrades to City Hall and the Library. Cost
estimates are refined.
January 2017. The Salem City Council votes to move ahead with PLAN B after holding a public
hearing where support is unanimous (or nearly so).
February 2017. City staff issue a RFP (request for proposals) from architectural design firms.
March 2017. Contract signed with chosen firm(s). Space plan is developed for a 75,000 square foot
police facility on the OBrien site with surface parking. An approximate $62 million bond measure is
placed on the May ballot for a new police facility and seismic upgrades to the Civic Center.
April 2017. Consultants prepare renderings of a police facility for public viewing and discussion.
PLAN B needs to have broad community input.
May 2017. Bond election. Voters overwhelmingly approve PLAN B.
June 2017. Detailed design of the police facility and renovations to Civic Center buildings
commences.

June-December 2017. Design-build or CM-GC (construction manager/general contractor) team work

on plans using a value engineering effort to reduce costs. Savings are applied to City Hall
renovations.
January-March 2018. Demolition.
April 2018. Break ground on police facility.
December 2018. Complete police facility construction. Restripe parking lot.

January 2019. Install furnishings and equipment; HVAC commissioning.

February 2019. Police Department moves into new building.
March 2019. Start seismic retrofitting of City Hall. Refurbish space previously occupied by Police
Department.
May 2019. Start seismic retrofitting of Salem Library.

October 2019. Complete all PLAN B projects.

For more information:

salemcandobetter.com

facebook.com/salemcandobetter/
facebook.com/SalemCommunityVision/

Prepared by Brian Hines, Salem Can Do Better co-director and member of the Salem Community Vision
steering committee, and architect Geoffrey James, SCV steering committee member.
Contact: brianhines1@gmail.com

November 11, 2016

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