This facility received the Law Enforcement Facilities II Silver Award in the 2024 Officer Station Design Awards.
Official Project Name: Shrewsbury Police Station
Project City/State: Shrewsbury, MA
Date Completed: August 1, 2023
Chief/Director: Chief of Police Kevin Anderson
Project Area (sq. ft.): 44,300
Total Cost: $37,000,000
Cost Per Square Foot: $835
Architect/Firm Name: Tecton Architects
City/State: Hartford, CT
Phone: (860) 548 0802
Website: tectonarchitects.com
Design Team: Designer/Architect of Record: Tecton Architects; Consultant Team: Fuss & O’Neill; Consulting Engineering Services; Odeh Engineers; New Ecology; AM Fogarty Construction Manager: Fontaine Bros., Inc.; Owner’s Project Manager: Construction Monitoring Services, Inc.
Project Description
T he new Shrewsbury Police Station was born out of a master plan to optimize a growing community’s civic assets. The existing station was located on the town’s campus-like municipal complex, alongside the Town Hall and Council on Aging, and was the town’s first priority for improvement. The community, department and design team embarked on a forward-thinking approach that considers future campus projects and supports the Town’s anticipated 25% growth over the next 30 years.
As the first of several planned projects, it was critical for the station to reflect the civic identity and values of the community and department it serves. The 44,300 sq. ft. structure seamlessly integrates with the traditional “New England” aesthetic of the adjacent buildings and surrounding neighborhood. Holistic planning and placement of the new building yielded positive impact across the campus. It resolved overall parking challenges, strengthened relationships with the town hall and COA, and enhanced community connection via pedestrian corridors and a new pocket park. This LEED 4.1 Silver Certified (pending) building features a hybrid electric system and photovoltaic panels that are strategically concealed behind parapets and on parking canopies to maintain the building’s aesthetic integrity.
Inclusivity of both the process and the design were critical to the project’s success. The new police station serves as an extension of the town’s public amenities, with welcoming, multipurpose spaces and meeting rooms that encourage use by other departments and local organizations. The quality of space and finishes are consciously maintained throughout the facility, from public-facing areas to “back of house” police operations spaces, reinforcing the value that the community sees in their police department. The town and design team also engaged with metal fabrication students from Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School to design a 9/11 memorial that serves as a powerful landmark on the campus.