The City of Sharonville Police Department had been operating out of an outdated and undersized facility within its municipal building. MSA was initially engaged by the City to develop a feasibility study for a shared police and fire facility. Ultimately, a standalone police facility was envisioned and MSA subsequently worked with the police department to revise and update the programmatic requirements accordingly. Once a preliminary site was selected, MSA reviewed the site parameters and developed a conceptual test-fit plan in order to verify its suitability for the project, allowing the City to confidently acquire the property for its new police station.

The program for the building was complex with very specific functions for both the community/administrative areas and the utility/law enforcement areas. The utility areas contained vehicle processing, large equipment areas and police utility spaces. This required a taller and more durable construction, while the community/administrative areas were typical of office and meeting design criteria.

The concept was to stack the admin/community areas in a two-story volume, over a basement that served as training, lockers and fitness and doubled as an emergency shelter for the building and the community within the area and attach the single-story utility volume on the backside that also allowed for direct access to a separate secured site entry and exit.

The design challenge was to visually connect the two distinct functions. The solution centered on the concept of creating a façade element that would wrap the perimeter of the two primary volumes and create a continuous unified edge. This also incorporates exterior security lighting and large windows for natural light.

The new facility is highly efficient yet incorporates concepts of openness and flexibility to create a clean, modern, and forward-thinking civic design for the City.