Description
The Providence Public Safety Complex is a three-story, 130,000 square foot, steel frame building with limestone and brick veneer. An airy, three and one-half story boat shaped glass and aluminum atrium divides the police and fire departments. The atrium creates an open, light filled space inside for the lobby and main entrance. Aside from acting as a physical divider in the building, the atrium also offers a welcoming invitation to the public. Former Mayor Vincent Cianci called it a "majestic beacon of light" to those traveling at night on nearby Interstate-95.
The building includes 800 tons of steel and more than a quarter acre of energy-efficient glazed glass. In addition to the police and fire department headquarters and court, the complex also holds sleeping quarters for firefighters, exercise rooms for both departments, the civil preparedness and city emergency management center, holding cells for thirty individuals, and a public auditorium which seats 100.
Adjacent to the building is a seven-story pre-cast concrete garage structure that was built at the same time. It can hold 520 cars.
History
The groundbreaking for the complex took place in June 2000. Former Mayor Vincent Cianci Jr. officially dedicated it on April 12, 2002. It was completed on time and under budget. It cost $43 million dollars and offered the Providence Police, fire department, and municipal court a new state of the art home. At the dedication, acting Police Chief Richard Sullivan said that the building was the most technologically advanced public safety facility in New England. The Police moved from an overcrowded, inadequate building in downtown Providence that was built in 1940. Mayor Cianci had called for a new complex as part of his vision as Providence the American "City of Lights." It was built using a design-build team of lead contractor O. Ahlburg & Sons Inc. and lead architect Jung/Brannen Associates, Inc. The building has won prestigious awards, including the 2002 Design-Build Institute of America's National Design-Build Award in the category of design-build developer.
Sources
"Providence Public Safety Complex: Developer-Led Design-Build." Dateline, monthly Newsletter of the Design-Build Institute of America Aug (2003).
<http://www.dbia.org/secure/dateline/1008frnt.html>.
2002 National Design-Build Award Competition Award Winners. Design-Build Institute of America . <http://www.dbia.org/ind_info/awards/award2002.html>.
Ahlborg Awarded Providence Project, Architect is Jung/Brannen Associates. High-Profile Facilities Development News. <http://www.high-profile.com/2000/nov/Provsafety.html>.
Ceremonials: Groundbreakings and Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies. O. Ahlborg & Sons, Inc.
<http://www.ahlborg.com/ceremonials.html>.
Municipal: Providence Public Safety Complex. O. Ahlborg & Sons, Inc.
<http://www.ahlborg.com/safety.html>.
Providence Public Safety Complex Dedication. 12 Apr. 2003. abc 6 News.
<http://www.abc6.com/article.php?ID=436>.
Providence Public Safety Complex, Providence , RI . Vanderweil Engineers.
<http://www.vanderweil.com/html/markets/commercial/prov.htm>.
Providence Public Safety Complex . RI 21st Century Labor Management Partnership.
<http://www.ri21.com/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/1583>.
Site/Civil Engineering . Maguire Group Architects/Engineers/Planners.
<http://www.maguiregroup.com/civilessce.htm>.