This rendering of the proposed new Hutchinson Police Station shows a view from Adams Street of the building’s northeast side, including the main entrance to the police department.
This rendering provides a general idea of the proposed layout of the new police facility. Visitors would enter the main police department entrance from First Ave. N., while visitors to the DMV would enter from the former Econofoods parking lot.
This rendering provided to Hutchinson by Wold Architects depicts the lobby of the proposed new police station. The lobby would include kiosks for services such as a prescription drug dropbox, as well as easy access from interview and safe rooms, administration, records and the patrol area.
A project to demolish the former Econofoods building in downtown Hutchinson and construct a new police facility is expected to cost roughly $15.5 million when all is said and done.
The figure was discussed by Hutchinson City Council earlier this month as part of a review of preliminary building plans, and includes an extension of Jefferson Street, relocation of the city's Department of Motor Vehicles office, and renovations to Adams Street.
"It's not just the $10.3 million for the police station," said City Administrator Matt Jaunich.
Current plans include a more clearly laid out extension of Jefferson Street between Washington Avenue and First Avenue. It would run north to south on the west side of Liquor Hutch and the planned footprint of the new police station to its north.
Hutchinson Police Chief Tom Gifferson said such an improvement would more safely guide traffic in the area with motorists there to visit Liquor Hutch, simply passing through, or visiting the new police station.
City Council previously discussed moving the DMV from City Center to the new site in order to improve security. The move would also preempt the expected cost of future technology upgrades. Construction on Adams Street would accommodate city vehicle traffic on the new building's east side.
A breakdown of some of the major estimated project costs includes:
- $475,600 for demolition
- $885,775 for site development
- $6.53 million for architectural work
- $2.98 million for mechanical, electrical and technology infrastructure
- $719,485 for DMV construction
- $750,685 for fees and reimbursables
- $64,000 for survey and testing
- $600,000 for furniture and equipment
- $210,000 for audio/visual equipment
- $884,400 for contingency
The city has already set aside $3 million for the proposed project, which would leave $12.5 million to bonding. The city could also use reserves, which could reduce interest over time. If City Council decides to move forward with the project and bond for it, city residents could petition the city to put the bonding issue on a ballot. The city estimates a $40 per-household per-year impact on taxpayers.
Station design
Current plans for the police station include proposals for the property surrounding the new building, such as a secure parking lot in the space that will be cleared between it and Liquor Hutch during demolition. Flagpoles, trees and a green space are proposed for the northeast corner of the building along Adams Street. More trees are proposed to divide the Liquor Hutch parking lot from the secure gate leading to the fleet garage entrance on the south side.
Public parking for the new building is proposed to be on the west and north side, with the public entrance to the police department on the north side, the DMV entrance on the northwest and the in-custody release on the west. The proposed Jefferson Street extension would be west of both the police department public parking and the Liquor Hutch parking.
The building's 36,154 square-foot layout in the draft reviewed this month looks similar to that which was reviewed by City Council at the end of 2020, with some alterations.
According to the draft, the lobby of the proposed building would be larger than the lobby of the current station on First Avenue. In addition to the kiosks for features such as a prescription drug dropbox, it would have connections to interview rooms and safe rooms. Administration would be east of the lobby, records south of the lobby, and the patrol area west of the lobby, allowing staff in all sections quick access to visitors.
With the patrol section to the west and the investigations section to the east, a hallway south of the lobby provides a quick route between the two, and to evidence, in keeping with one of the major goals of the project — to facilitate cooperation.
"Ultimately, we just want to get everybody in the same space," Gifferson said.
Plans show the expanded fleet services section on the south side of the building, beside the tactical garage and lockers. The Emergency Operations Center is on the west side with the DMV, allowing visitors quick access to either section from the west entrance.
When the city began seriously looking at police facility options in 2017, space needs were at the forefront of the discussion.
"We have outgrown our current facility," said Gifferson.
The current police department is spread out across multiple buildings with units separated between them. A remodel of the department's space on Franklin Street was discussed but found not to be a preferable option as it wouldn't put the department in a position to be ahead of future needs and expenses. When the current building was constructed in 1989, remodels were needed within five years — a mistake Gifferson said he didn't want to see repeated.
The new proposed construction also provides nearly twice as much fleet maintenance space, up from 4,700 square feet to 9,100 square feet.
"Technology has changed in 20-30 years," Gifferson said. "Squad cars don't perform the same function as they did. Obviously they're still transportation, they get you to and from calls. But now they're more of the officer's office than anything else. Now there is a lot of technology involved."
"We need to have the ability to house those without having to worry about temperature changes, vandalism, theft, that kind of thing," he added. "So it really determined we needed a fleet service area that would house our entire fleet and keep your investment safe."
While City Council has not yet needed to approve plans, it will be asked to leading up to April 9, when final documents will be presented to Contegrity, the project's construction manager. The current project timeline indicates the city will seek construction bids April 15. Demolition and construction are expected to begin in June.
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You can use your smartphone to scan this QR code and access the Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism’s listing of community events. This new digital format is replacing the former table tents.
When it comes to letting people know about local events, the Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is making a change to a new digital format.
Since 2005, three-sided table tents with quarterly listings of community events could often be found in local restaurants and businesses. But then last year COVID-19 forced all events to shut down.
As events begin to return to the community, the Chamber is moving toward a new digital format for community event listings. It came up with the idea of using QR codes. The codes can now be found on stickers throughout the community, and people can use their smartphones to scan the code and access the listing of events.
“The QR code will direct people to a new event listing page, with the same basic information as table tents, and then link directly to their online information,” a Chamber press release said.
The Chamber believes this new format will allow it to lower event listing costs and provide longer exposure for events. And with no deadlines, an event can be added at any time without concern for printing schedules.
“As our society becomes more dependent on digital options, this was an easy way for us to transition the beloved table tents to something very user friendly for our event partners and the end user,” said Mary Hodson, Chamber president. “As we segue from physically based and digitally enhanced, to a world of digitally based and physically enhanced, this really made sense for us.”
Event QR stickers, posters and electronic versions are available at the Chamber office. For more information email info@explorehutchinson.com or call 320-587-5252.
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As McLeod County and health care providers continue to roll out available COVID-19 vaccines, Health and Human Services Director Berit Spors had a message for county residents last week: Stay vigilant.
"Wear your mask, social distance, stay home when you're sick," she said, repeating advice health experts have espoused for a year. "Take whatever vaccine is offered to you. I know some people are waiting for the one-dose. We might not get that for awhile. If we call you and say we have Moderna two-dose, take it."
Spors also advised residents to be proactive. Those who are eligible for a vaccine should sign up on the county website instead of waiting to be contacted.
The advise was delivered as Spors told McLeod County Board members March 16 there had been an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases in McLeod County. As of Monday morning, the county had reported 3,500 confirmed cases (up from 3,366 two weeks prior) and 54 deaths due to COVID.
New 14-day case rates from the Minnesota Department of Health March 18 told a similar story, though the metric is formulated differently. The 14-day rates released each Thursday reference a period two weeks old, comparing the number of new, positive cases per 10,000 residents in the county. Those numbers showed rates of:
- 17.31 cases for Feb. 21-March 6,
- 13.96 for Feb. 14-27,
- 9.49 for Feb. 7-20,
- 8.09 for Jan. 31-Feb. 13,
- 10.89 for Jan. 24-Feb. 6
- 16.19 for Jan. 17-30, and
- 21.77 for Jan. 10-23.
Schools and the state use the 14-day rates to help determine which learning model to use in each district. Those models include complete in-person learning, a mixture of in-person and distance learning to lower student count in buildings, and complete distance learning. Other tools are used as well. For instance, each week the Minnesota Department of Health updates a list of school buildings with five or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in students or staff during a two-week period. To be removed from the list, schools must go 28 days without a new case. As of this past Thursday, the only McLeod County school on that list was Holy Trinity in Winsted.
VACCINE TOTALS
This past week, the county reported it had conducted 21 "closed pod" invite-only clinics, and was continuing at a rate of two per week. Vaccines are being distributed to health care personnel, educators and child care providers, as well as residents age 65 or older.
"We have recently moved into Phase 1 Tier 2, which is food processing plants," Spors said.
She said 2,295 first doses had been administered by the county, along with 1,011 second doses. State data updated Wednesday, which includes vaccines from other sources such as hospitals, showed a total of 7,900 first doses had been administered to McLeod County residents, and 5,135 residents had a complete vaccine series. Among those who had received a vaccine dose were 68.2% of residents age 65 or older.
The state requires counties to distribute 90% of vaccines provided within 72 hours of receipt. McLeod County's rate within 72 hours is 99%, Spors said this past week.
