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 Officials knew the existing facility was too outdated to make it practical for continued use, and they also hoped to project a fresher community image as the city continues work on its renewal.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
K-12 Schools | May 25, 2023
From net zero to net positive in K-12 schools
Perkins Eastman’s pursuit of healthy, net positive schools goes beyond environmental health; it targets all who work, teach, and learn inside them.
Contractors | May 24, 2023
The average U.S. contractor has 8.9 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of April 2023
Contractor backlogs climbed slightly in April, from a seven-month low the previous month, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.
Mass Timber | May 23, 2023
Luxury farm resort uses CLT framing and geothermal system to boost sustainability
Construction was recently completed on a 325-acre luxury farm resort in Franklin, Tenn., that is dedicated to agricultural innovation and sustainable, productive land use. With sustainability a key goal, The Inn and Spa at Southall was built with cross-laminated and heavy timber, and a geothermal variant refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system.
Architects | May 23, 2023
DEI initiatives at KAI Enterprises, with Michael Kennedy, Jr. and Gyasi Haynes
Michael Kennedy, Jr. and Gyasi Haynes of KAI Enterprises, St. Louis, describe their firm's effort to create a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion—and how their own experiences as black men in the design and construction industry shaped that initiative.
Multifamily Housing | May 23, 2023
One out of three office buildings in largest U.S. cities are suitable for residential conversion
Roughly one in three office buildings in the largest U.S. cities are well suited to be converted to multifamily residential properties, according to a study by global real estate firm Avison Young. Some 6,206 buildings across 10 U.S. cities present viable opportunities for conversion to residential use.
Architects | May 23, 2023
Ware Malcomb hires Francisco Perez-Azua as Director, Interior Architecture & Design, in its Miami office
Ware Malcomb hires Francisco Perez-Azua as Director, Interior Architecture & Design, in its Miami office.
K-12 Schools | May 22, 2023
The revival of single-building K-12 schools
Schools that combine grades PK through 12 are suddenly not so uncommon. Education sector experts explain why.
Architects | May 19, 2023
Snøhetta architects make a bid to unionize the firm's New York studio
Employees at the New York office of architecture firm Snøhetta have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to unionize the studio. Snøhetta employees’ action marks the third time architects at a private-sector architecture studio in the U.S. took that step.
Healthcare Facilities | May 19, 2023
A new behavioral health facility in California targets net zero energy
Shortly before Mental Health Awareness Month in May, development and construction firm Skanska announced the topping out of California’s first behavioral health facility—and the largest in the nation—to target net zero energy. Located in Redwood City, San Mateo County, Calif., the 77,610-sf Cordilleras Health System Replacement Project is slated for completion in late 2024.
Government Buildings | May 18, 2023
GSA launches first biennial construction award program
Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the new biennial GSA Construction Award program, which is seeking submissions this summer. The program was created to honor outstanding achievements in construction, with a focus on quality and craftsmanship, collaboration and team dynamics, sustainability, innovation, and technology. The first Construction Awards ceremony will take place in 2024.