As the groundbreaking - or demolition date - of August approaches for the city of Durango’s new city hall and police department, questions from residents keep coming in.
Artaic Group Senior Project Manager John Usery answered some of the most prominent questions he’s received at various public meetings about the project.
The project involves the rehabilitation of the former historic high school at 201 E. 12th St. for a new city hall, the demolition of the building at 215 E. 12th St. next door, and the construction of a brand new police station behind the future city hall.
The current city hall and police department are located across the street from one another on the 900 block of East Second Avenue.
Responding to frequent questions about what will become of the properties, Usery said the properties could be sold or repurposed for parking or other uses.
Councilor Shirley Gonzales said at the March 10 meeting she is concerned about parking availability and the sale of the current city hall and police department properties.
“It was presented to us that we needed to sell the property in order to financially complete the project,” she said. “Where did that leave off?”
City Manager José Madrigal said the past City Council discussed the option of selling the properties to help fund the project, but that was just one of several discussions before the project was taken to the ballot.
He said selling the properties is still a consideration, but there are competing alternative options. The city is currently working on a plan for offsite parking, but the plan is still being worked out and isn’t set in stone.
Another common question is why different consultants are working with the project now than when the project was discussed in 2023.
Usery said the city procured contracts for development of the master plan. Once the $61 million bond measure to fund the project was approved by voters in April 2025, the city followed a new public, competitive procurement process to hire consultants to develop the project.
Usery said the exact height of the new planned police station hasn’t been nailed down, although it will be a two-story facility remaining shorter than the current former historic high school it will be built behind.
Residents have also asked what advantages there are to having a police station on the same campus as city hall.
Usery said there is an opportunity for shared space between the municipal court and police department, and having a centrally located police department makes the police more accessible to the public.
Usery said development will adhere to 2024 International Energy Conservation Code requirements, which offer two advantages:
- The new city hall’s and police station’s energy index scores will be lower due to efficiencies in electrification, HVAC systems and the like.
- The buildings will be future-proofed for electric vehicle chargers and photovoltaics (solar power technology).
The project will also include testing and abatement for asbestos-containing materials as required by the La Plata County Public Health Department and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment and Usery said.
Specialized crews will perform any necessary asbestos removal and perform air clearances to ensure no hazardous materials are released into the air, he said.
Future meetings for public engagement are scheduled for May and June. Separate focus meetings for landscape design and campus-community connectivity are planned for May. Likewise, separate focus meetings about planned community spaces for the police department and city hall are planned for June.
cburney@durangoherald.com
