The City of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, has opened a new public safety center that brings police, fire, court, and emergency services together in one location. Designed by Dewberry, the building is set on a 10-acre, former brownfield site at the edge of downtown. The new location is anticipated to anchor future mixed-use development while also providing easier access for citizens and more efficient operations for municipal functions.
The Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center, named for a
local Vietnam war hero, provides nearly 40,000 square feet of space on a single
level, replacing a century-old municipal building and an outdated, undersized
fire station. The new facility significantly improves police operations with
individual holding cells, two general population jail cells, interview rooms,
offices, briefing room, armory, and secure evidence processing area.
Court facilities now provide secure access for judges
and staff, with expanded space for public queuing and conferences. The
courtroom doubles as a community meeting and training space, with flexible
furnishings and technology that support multiple configurations. The new fire
department headquarters provides four pull-through apparatus bays and three
additional bays that allow ample space for vehicles and equipment, a decontamination
room in the apparatus bay, upgraded living quarters, and a new outdoor training
pad.
City administrators credit the co-location of services
with creating greater efficiencies across departments while also saving on
facility costs. The “wagon wheel” floorplan places the courtroom at the hub
with other services radiating outward in three light-filled wings. The
courtroom area is constructed of conventional framing, with hardened areas to
withstand severe weather. The three wings feature pre-engineered building
components that complement the industrial history of the site and the community,
while simplifying construction and reducing costs.
Dewberry provided architecture, interior design,
structural engineering, civil engineering, and technology consulting services.
Additional design team consultants included HP Engineering for mechanical,
electrical, and plumbing engineering and Howell & Vancuren for landscape
architecture. Crossland served as the construction manager.
