Welcome from the Ashland Public Safety Building Project page!
Since 2008, the Town of Ashland has been working to determine the facilities and technology requirements of the Ashland Police and Fire Departments and the need for a public safety complex. In 2017 the Town contracted with HKT Architects to complete an updated Public Safety Building Feasibility and Site Location Study.
See the 2008 feasibility study Here
In 2018, the Ashland Select Board appointed a Public Safety Building Committee charged with pursuing site acquisition, design, engineering, permitting, and construction of a new facility. At the November 28, 2018, Special Town Meeting, Ashland residents voted to appropriate $3,500,000 for design and engineering related to the construction of a public safety facility (Article 9). The November 2018 Town Meeting also voted to approve a gift of land located at 12-16 Union Street as the site of the public safety facility. The Union Street site was determined to be the most desirable location for the future Ashland Public Safety Building. This preference is due in a large part to the site’s central location in Town and its close proximity to the Fountain Street bridge which crosses over the railroad tracks dividing the Town and affecting emergency response times when emergency vehicles must otherwise wait at railroad crossings for trains to pass. The Union Street site also allows for close proximity to Ashland High School.
In 2019, the Public Safety Building Committee reviewed and voted to contract with Vertex Engineering for Owner’s Management services and HKT Architects for building and site design and engineering.
See the 2018 Feasibility Study here.
The process of design, engineering, and permitting proceeded during 2019 and 2020 culminating with a successful construction bid process in November and December 2020.
A Special Town Meeting was held on January 23, 2021, and a Special Town Election on January 27, 2021, and Ashland voters overwhelmingly supported funding the Public Safety Facility.
In February 2021, the Public Safety Building Committee voted to award CTA Construction as General Contractor for the Public Safety Building. Site work commenced on March 16, 2021.
