Princeton is moving ahead with a major public safety overhaul, approving a design contract and locking in a site for a new complex that city leaders say will pull police and fire administration under one roof. The project carries an estimated $36 million price tag and is pitched as a way to boost training and operations capacity as the fast-growing city braces for even more residents.
What the council approved
On Monday, the city council signed off on an architectural and engineering contract with Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects, authorizing up to $4,243,022 for design services, according to a City of Princeton press release. The city also selected a site at Corporate Drive and Myrick Lane for the future facility.
Police Chief James Waters framed the project as a crucial upgrade for officers and staff, calling it “the space, technology, and resources [officers] need to reduce response times,” per the City of Princeton.
Design, scope and price tag
The full build-out is expected to cost about $36 million and is planned to include expanded training and operations areas while housing both the Princeton Police Department and the Princeton Fire Department, as reported by the Dallas Business Journal. That reporting notes that the council’s vote moves the project out of the high-level planning stage and into schematic design and cost refinement.
Funding and next steps
City leaders have previously spotlighted certificates of obligation as the likely funding tool to cover land acquisition, professional fees and construction costs, according to the Princeton Herald. With the latest council action, officials say the project now advances into detailed site planning and design development, along with public engagement as the plans take shape, per the City of Princeton.
Why it matters
The drive to consolidate public safety services comes as Princeton’s growth keeps shattering previous benchmarks. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the city’s population surged 30.6% from July 2023 to July 2024, a jump that made Princeton the fastest-growing city in the country for that period.
That surge has put heavy pressure on local infrastructure and helped push the city toward earlier measures like a temporary housing moratorium to buy time for upgrades, a trend chronicled by the Dallas Business Journal…