PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Port Washington's new $32 million Police and Fire complex is taking shape and remains on schedule for completion by next summer.
The ambitious project will house both the city's police and fire departments under one roof, featuring garage space for both fleets and collaborative training facilities.
The complex will include the first on-site burn house in Ozaukee County, providing enhanced training capabilities for firefighters not just in Port Washington, but across the area.
"I think it's a special project because our emergency personnel and first responders are really the backbone of communities," said Andy Smedberg, project manager with C.D. Smith Construction.
Project supervisor Ben Entringer said most of the walls are now in place, and the building is taking shape.
"This is when things start to develop, and it actually comes to life and starts to look like a building," Entringer said.
The project has faced criticism from neighbors concerned about its $32 million price tag, which is adding hundreds of dollars to local property tax bills.
Chief Kevin Hingiss of the Port Washington Police Department says careful planning went into determining the project's scope.
Watch: Cops excited for Port Washington's $32 million public safety complex that is now taking shape
"We had a committee set up, and we reviewed what was needed, what we really needed, as opposed to what we wanted," Hingiss said. "I think Port's growing very fast, and so I think this building is keeping up with that."
The complex represents one of several projects the city has undertaken to prepare for future growth.
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