FARGO - (KFGO) - The Fargo Police Department will soon be on the move, across town to a new headquarters.
The department will sublease vacant warehouse space at the Border States Industries building at 1st Avenue North and 25th Street, near the city's Central Garage and Public Works facilities. The police department's entire field services division of 130 officers, equipment and vehicles will take over the 57,000 square feet of warehouse space.
Remodeling the space will start in April and the site should be ready for use by early summer. 7,000 square feet will be fitted up to meet the immediate needs which will include brief rooms, officers, lockers and inside parking for patrol vehicles.
Once Border States vacates its corporate offices at the location in 2019, for a move to a new location, the city will negotiate a lease or purchase of both buildings. Police adminstration and investigation divisions will use The 48,000 square of office space. Police Chief Dave Todd says because of the size of the building it should position the department for the next 30 years.
Chief Todd says once completed, it will put the entire department under one roof. The downtown police station is cramped and has forced the department to move personnel to the former public health building across the street and to the public safety building in Fargo's industrial park.
The rental rate for the warehouse this year is $329,000 with the money coming from the 2016 city budget surplus.
Renovation of the warehouse space will cost $500,000. Funding will come from the the sale of city owned land north of Fargo.