What's Going Down(town)

Joint police HQ snags on project deadline eve
Link (JG)

“Despite months of talks about the sheriff and city police departments sharing a building, city officials were down to the wire Monday working to find a way to pay for their part of the project.

County officials don’t expect a deal to be reached and are ready to move forward with a different project.

Allen County officials imposed a deadline – today – on Fort Wayne officials to work out an agreement that would allow the sheriff and the police departments to share a building downtown. Commissioner Nelson Peters and Mayor Tom Henry, along with other city and county officials, plan to meet this afternoon to discuss space issues.”

[...]

“A preliminary study estimated it would cost $19 million to $28 million to buy, renovate and move government offices into the Renaissance Square building downtown and then move public safety offices into the City-County Building.

The county has offered to contribute $5.5 million. City officials were trying to find money for the project while they put together the 2009 budget.”

[...]

“Even if the city finds money to put toward the Renaissance Square project, Fries doesn’t believe the plan makes good use of taxpayers’ money and he won’t support it.

Instead, Fries wants to see work move ahead on New Haven Avenue, he said.

“If it’s not going to work, it’s not going to work,” he said of sharing downtown space with the police department. “We can’t allow this to continue to languish.””