For the city of Detroit, reinvention and renewal are major priorities, but public projects must be planned with a sharp eye on the budget and smart investments in efficient materials. This balance is exemplified by the city’s recent work on its Public Safety Headquarters that has quickly become a national model for public safety service integration.
The public safety department had been housed in an early 1900s building that one local news outlet described as “dingy” and “leaky.” Officials knew the existing facility was too outdated to make it practical for continued use, and they also hoped to project a fresher community image as the city continues work on its renewal. To meet that goal, the city purchased a newer facility and began planning to relocate the Public Safety Headquarters.
First constructed as an office for the Internal Revenue Service, the new facility had more recently served as a temporary home for the MGM Casino. While the building had a more modern backbone than the existing headquarters, transforming it into a welcoming beacon for the community and efficient civic space still presented a significant challenge.
To maximize efficiency and revamp the building’s appearance, architect SmithGroupJJR of Detroit, Michigan, worked with Metl-Span® of Lewisville, Texas, to specify and install nearly 90,000 square feet of insulated metal wall panels. The material was chosen as an over-cladding solution because it allowed for many of the building’s existing exterior walls and wall framings to be left in place, while providing an air barrier, insulation and vapor barrier in a single product. Beyond efficiency, the metal panels updated the building’s appearance with a modernized, sleek look.
To further enhance the esthetics of the metal panels, SmithGroupJJR introduced a unique color design with four colors from Valspar that features a mosaic of intertwining blue-green shades. The large, vertical metal wall panels provide depth and movement between the variations of blue-green shades such as, Custom Key Largo, Tarryton and Sweet Nothings. The vertical panels are balanced against the horizontal metal wall panels to pick up on the gray and beige tones of the building’s surrounding environment with a custom Submarine Gray color.
In addition to the esthetics, Metl-Span specified Valspar Fluropon® coatings to provide outstanding resistance to ultraviolet rays, long-term color retention, and resistance to dirt and stains. With this protection against weathering, aging and pollution, the City of Detroit can rest assured that its new Public Safety Headquarters will maintain the new look many years into the future.
The newly completed building now houses administrative staff for Detroit’s police and fire departments, the Michigan State Police Metropolitan Forensic Laboratory, Building Authority office, Homeland Security office and Information Technology Services Group. In total, the facility can support up to 700 employees in its 400,000 square feet.
The new headquarters has also achieved LEED® certification, a testament to its efficient design and smart use of materials. The facility represents the city’s ongoing commitment to renewal and a wise investment in a space that serves both staff and citizens.
Related Stories
Sponsored | | Mar 10, 2014
A high-performance barn
Bastoni Vineyards replaces a wooden barn with an efficient metal building used for maintenance, storage, and hosting events.
| Mar 10, 2014
Field tested: Caterpillar’s Cat B15 rugged smartphone
The B15 is billed by Cat as “the most progressive, durable and rugged device available on the market today.”
| Mar 10, 2014
5 rugged mobile devices geared for construction pros
BD+C readers share their most trusted smartphone and tablet cases. The editors select some of their faves, too.
| Mar 7, 2014
Thom Mayne's high-tech Emerson College LA campus opens in Hollywood [slideshow]
The $85 million, 10-story vertical campus takes the shape of a massive, shimmering aircraft hangar, housing a sculptural, glass-and-aluminum base building.
| Mar 7, 2014
Learning from common leadership errors
As a leader in the AEC world, you’ll likely find yourself making certain mistakes over the course of your career. Here are a few common leadership errors that can easily be avoided.
| Mar 6, 2014
BD+C wants to hear about your breakthrough ideas and projects for the Giants 300 report
BD+C's 2014 Giants 300 survey form is now available. But completing the survey is just one way to participate in the July Giants issue.
| Mar 6, 2014
Must see: Tour Seinfeld's apartment with virtual reality headset
Fans of the show can now explore a virtual 3D model of the iconic New York residence, thanks to one Web designer's painstaking effort.
| Mar 5, 2014
5 tile design trends for 2014
Beveled, geometric, and high-tech patterns are among the hot ceramic tile trends, say tile design experts.
| Mar 4, 2014
How EIFS came to America
Design experts from Hoffmann Architects offer a brief history of exterior insulation and finish systems in the U.S.
| Mar 4, 2014
If there’s no ‘STEM crisis,’ why build more STEM schools?
Before you get your shorts in a knot, I have nothing against science, technology, engineering, or even mathematics; to the contrary, I love all four “STEM” disciplines (I’m lying about the math). But I question whether we need to be building K-12 schools that overly emphasize or are totally devoted to STEM.