WINONA, Minn. – The Winona City Council voted unanimously to hire the Minneapolis architectural firm BKV Group to go back to the drawing board on where to locate a new police headquarters. The company has three months to report back. Not in the Council’s list of possibilites to BKV was a notable exception: A combined public safety building that would replace East Rec Center, a proposal to which there had been vociferous neighborhood objections. For BRV to explore now:
Combining police and fire
> Police and fire together, possibly with ambulance services, at the site of the current Central Fire Station at 451 East Third Street.
> Police and fire together at the Central School block bounded by Sixth, Seventh, Walnut and Market streets.
> Police and county sheriff together next to the Courthouse, probably replacing the current Law Enforcement Center.
Stand-alone options
> Fire at the current Central Fire Station.
> Fire at Central School block.
> Police at the current Law Enforcement Center site.
> The former Pro-Build lumber yard near the levee, either as a stand-alone for police or a combined police-sheriff facility.
BLK was told to stand by for two additional possible sites. One would come from a further assessment of police space needs. The other would be what other sites come to Council attention. Price tag for the new study: $11,500.