Northville Township took a step into the future of public safety last week with the official groundbreaking at the 96,000-square-foot Essential Services Complex (ESC).
The new complex will include a second fire station to reduce response times to the northeast quadrant of the community, as well as a new state-of-the-art police
headquarters. The building will provide a new temporary holding facility, a garage to protect cruisers’ sensitive electronic equipment, an expanded dispatch center and multiple shared spaces for police and fire to eliminate redundancies, officials said.
The new building is also the future headquarters for the Township Department of Public Works, which has outgrown the current facility, and to a Northville Parks & Recreation facility. The recreation building will serve as a trailhead to Legacy Park, providing parkgoers with restrooms and running water, officials said.
“We are laying the foundation for a safer, stronger and more resilient Northville Township—one that will continue to thrive and flourish for years to come,” said Northville Township Manager Todd L. Mutchler.
Northville Township Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Scott Hilden agreed.
“The Essential Services Complex will make us more efficient, more effective and it will save lives,” he said.
Guests at the ceremony got a peek at the footprint of the building being constructed at Seven Mile Road and Traditions Drive, west of Haggerty Road. The Essential Services Complex will occupy 4.3 percent of the 350-acre Legacy Park, leaving the remaining acreage for recreation. The site was once occupied by the former Northville State Psychiatric Hospital, which closed in 2003.
In 2022, Northville Township had 11 asbestos-clad buildings on site which were demolished after removal of hazardous materials. Only one building remains and it will be repurposed for a yet-to-be-determined Northville Parks & Recreation building.
“We are taking steps today to transform this site to be a
beacon for our residents, whether they are in need of service from our Police and Fire Departments, our Water & Sewer team or want to walk in the park,” Township Supervisor Mark J. Abbo said. “This is an exciting day for the future of Northville Township.”
The possible remodeling of the current Public Safety Headquarters on Six Mile Road was evaluated by outside
consultants who determined that a new building would be more cost efficient. With the need for a second fire station in the township to ensure efficient
response times, were
determining factors in the construction of the new $44 million building, officials noted. Northville Township secured a low-interest rate for $15 million in bonds to partially finance construction the ESC. Other funding sources include enterprise funds, general funds, public safety funds and grant funding, according to a statement from the township.
Construction management firm Cunningham-Limp,
Partners in Architecture and OHM Advisors are collaborating to build the ESC, expected to be complete next spring.
“On behalf of the board of trustees, I want to thank all of those involved in making the new Essential Services Complex a reality,” Abbo said. “Our
residents deserve this nod to their safety. We are taking a big step forward to continue to deliver exceptional public service for those who live, work and play in Northville Township.”
