WATERVILLE — The Police Station Study Committee will recommend to the City Council that a new station be built in the city-owned parking lot at Head of Falls.

After hearing presentations Monday afternoon from Port City Architecture representatives, the committee voted 5-2 in favor of the Head of Falls site off Front Street.

The two other choices were the Morning Sentinel building on Front Street and a Water Street plot with two structures, which had recently been added for consideration.

The City Council previously approved $2.5 million to either build or buy and renovate a structure for a new police station. The station in the basement of City Hall is cramped, outdated and inadequate for modern policing needs, according to city officials.

Police Chief Joseph Massey said he favored a new building at the Head of Falls site.

A station designed with police department functions in mind is better than to trying to retrofit older buildings designed for other purposes, said Massey.

And, according to Port City architects, building a new station would likely be cheaper than renovating.

“We don’t have a horse in the race,” Andy Highland of Port City Architecture said, adding that functionality, durability and energy efficiency are what matters. “The most important thing is how it functions (for the police). Our whole objective is to make you happy.”

Councilor and committee member Karen Rancourt-Thomas said building a well-designed police station seemed like the best plan.

“That way the police get exactly what they want,” she said. “If we are going to do it, let’s do it right.”

Port City Architecture associate John Charette said a new station would be about 11,400 square feet and the goal would be to include a 1,250-square-foot sally port — a secure controlled entry point — and 60 parking spaces.

If the city is successful in buying an additional adjacent parcel from Maine Central Railroad Company, Charette said a one-story station would be preferable. If the additional parcel is cost-prohibitive, Charette said a two-story station could be built to make room for parking.

Charette said the Sentinel site had several issues, including a limited number of parking places, an interior design that didn’t mesh with law enforcement needs and that it did not meet building codes.

City Manager Mike Roy said the Sentinel’s asking price was $1.5 million.

Roy said developer Paul Boghossian recently brought the Water Street plot and buildings to his attention as a possible site.

Charette said the Water Street site was in a flood plain and did not have adequate parking. He also said renovating the existing buildings could be costly.

Police Station Study Committee members were Rancourt-Thomas, D-Ward 7; Michelle Cyr Plumstead, co-owner of Last Unicorn; Councilor Charles Stubbert Jr., D-Ward 1; China Town Manager Dan L’Heureux, George Coleman, Samuel Shapiro, Cathy Taylor and Chairman Allan Rancourt.

Nonvoting members were Massey, Roy, Fire Chief David LaFountain, City Engineer Greg Brown and Dana Sennett, who is mayor through December.

The City Council meets Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Beth Staples — 861-9252

[email protected]