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Construction crews have broken ground on a new 17,000-square-foot police station in Molalla.

Mackenzie designed the facility for the city of Molalla, as well as the interiors, civil engineering, structural engineering, traffic engineering, land use planning and landscape design for the project. The project team also includes MEP Interface Engineering and general contractor P&C Construction.

The project began in 2012 when former Police Chief Rod Lucich expressed the need for a new station, according to the project’s website. In 2015, the city purchased the Molalla Bowl building at 150 Grange Ave. The building was demolished in 2023, Mackenzie project manager David Linton said in an email.

The new facility will replace an aging and undersized police station, currently located in Molalla City Hall, at 117 N Molalla Ave. The current facility, formerly the fire department, was renovated to become the city hall and police department. It was built prior to 1950 and has about 2,300 square feet of work/office space, Linton stated.

The new facility will also function as an emergency operations center for public safety crisis response. Thomas Peck, Mackenzie project designer, said in an email that the new station will be an essential facility designed for resilience.

鈥淭he organization of the facility and site was designed to create a more civically engaging relationship with the community,鈥� Peck stated. 鈥淚t will reinforce the presence of law enforcement and the public safety building as a resource for everyone in Molalla.鈥�

The building has been designed to maintain a natural separation for security, with public interface prioritized along the street and secure operations and parking behind it. A public entry plaza correlates with nearby neighborhood public parks and visually connects visitors to a public-facing lobby and community room.

Peck said that the facility utilizes a structural brick to create a resilient and secure exterior envelope for the main operation footprint. A transparent and inviting approach has been taken for the public-interfacing portion of the building that fronts the street. A hybrid structural system of steel and cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels has been utilized for the building lobby, records office and community room to showcase Molalla’s heritage in the timber industry and provide a warm character with extensive overhangs to shelter and welcome visitors, Peck stated.

Additionally, wood reclaimed from the bowling lanes of Molalla Bowl has been salvaged to honor the site’s history. The wood is being used in custom wall panels that will house the Molalla Police Department’s emblem, as well as in custom seating within the lobby.

The total project cost is $16.8 million and is funded by a $16 million bond passed by voters in November 2023, as well as city money.

Construction began in August and is expected to be complete in late 2025.

On the Boards is a 91视频 feature offering a look at projects in Oregon and Southwest Washington being tackled by local architecture firms. To have your firm’s projects considered, contact 91视频 reporter Hilary Dorsey at聽[email protected].