Dresden Considers Construction of Municipal Complex

BY DAVID FISHER

david@dresdenenterprise.com

DRESDEN (January 10) — The Dresden City Board is considering constructing a municipal complex housing the Dresden Fire Department, City Hall and Police Department under one roof.

“We have met with H2H, our city engineering firm, and talked about the downtown project (municipal complex),” Mayor Washburn said. “We will bring a concept back to you to see what that would look like and review the projected cost.

“They are recommending we consider hiring a construction management firm. I think that’s a good idea, because the construction management company would take over supervising the rebuilding of that facility in the downtown area.

“Many of you have told me you support that and the general public appears to have strong support for that as well. If that is how you wish to proceed, we will have H2H advertise for a construction management firm. The construction management firm would then bid out the work to be done, without us having to bid out each of those jobs.”

Alderman Anderson asked if it would be possible for businesses located near Dresden’s proposed municipal complex, to piggyback off of the city’s engineering firm in order to get a better price in designing their buildings as well.

Mayor Washburn said, “That’s a good question, and one well worth asking.”

The mayor stressed that it would be much cheaper to build a municipal complex, with the fire department, city Hall and police Department under one roof, rather than building them at separate locations. According to a preliminary estimate, the complex would encompass approximately 25,000 square feet.

If construction of the project eventually receives the board’s approval, plans call for locating the complex on the same city block where the police, fire and city hall were located prior to being destroyed by the storm. A portion of the building’s footprint would cover the site of Dresden Fire Department on South Poplar Street, which was destroyed by the tornado; and Poppi’s Pizzeria, located next door, which would be donated by property owner Mayor Washburn. The rest of the complex would extend along Poplar Street to the corner of Main Street.