By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Great Bend City Council took a short recess Tuesday night to walk over to the old police department building on Williams Street. The council took a tour of the 7,500-square-foot building built in 1938.
With the Great Bend Police Department and Municipal Court staff moved over to the new, $9 million Justice Center at 12th Street and Baker Avenue last month, City Administrator Brandon Anderson said the city is studying the possibilities of the vacant structure on Williams.
"One of the options is to demolish the building," said Anderson. "If we find out it's a sound structure, maybe we make some adjustments and consider leasing the square footage. As important as it was to give the police department and court an opportunity to spread out and grow, there are other departments in city hall and the fire department that could spread out also."
The building consists of many smaller offices in a maze-like layout. Assistant City Administrator Logan Burns said there are not many load-bearing walls, meaning a renovation could open up the choppy layout.
Anderson said $30,000 is currently set aside for the next step for the vacant police station, with much of the expense likely going toward flooring, ADA upgrades and an unknown sewer issue.
"I know some of the concern is possible sewer issues," said Anderson. "If it is one of the vent pipes within this building, it's possibly a crack in one of the vent pipes. It may not be this building, it might be between this building and the Rec."
The Great Bend Recreation Commission and City Auditorium is connected to the west of the police station.
The majority of the council was in favor of reusing the building to spread out office space for the inspection, code enforcement and public lands departments. Anderson informed the council the city will formulate more cost estimates for needed improvements.