First Selectman Dan Rosenthal has announced that a ceremonial groundbreaking event for the new police headquarters at 191 South Main Street is set for Wednesday, November 20, at 11 am.

While specifics about invited guests and a speaking program had not been finalized at press time, the public is welcome to attend the activity.

Look for updates and more information as it develops at newtownbee.com, and on the newspaper’s Facebook and Twitter sites.

On November 6, during a joint meeting between the Public Building and Site Commission (PBSC) and Board of Selectmen, the two panels reviewed and accepted a Guaranteed Maximum Price or GMP for the project.

PBSC Chairman Robert Mitchell told The Newtown Bee the proposed budget for construction is about 10.6 million, and that construction crews would likely begin staging at the site within a week.

The 191 South Main Street (Route 25) 7.35-acre site is about 2.7 miles south of the existing police station at 3 Main Street. The $15.1 million project will involve the renovation and expansion of the former Taunton Press office building.

Kaestle Boos Associates of New Britain has designed the project for the 11.74-acre site.

The building’s interior will be gutted and reorganized. A building expansion area will hold a secure garage, or sally port, used in the transport of prisoners, prisoner holding cells, and evidence storage space.

The facility will get a new roof, and a new septic tank will be installed. Although the area is served by the Aquarion Water Company’s public water supply, the property does not have access to municipal sanitary sewers.

Voters at referendums in April 2017 and November 2018 approved spending $300,000 and $14.8 million for basic plans, property acquisition, detailed architectural plans, and construction of the police station.

Site work at the property will include resurfacing the parking lot and creating a new dedicated parking area for police vehicles. Of the planned 91 parking spaces, 63 spaces would be designated for police use.

Town and police officials as well as consultants have long said the existing police station at Town Hall South at 3 Main Street is cramped, and a number of the building’s functional aspects are outdated and can no longer adequately serve a modern day police agency.