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 Officials knew the existing facility was too outdated to make it practical for continued use, and they also hoped to project a fresher community image as the city continues work on its renewal.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
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Report: Building codes and regulations impede progress toward uber-green buildings
The enthusiasm for super green Living Buildings continues unabated, but a key stumbling block to the growth of this highest level of green building performance is an existing set of codes and regulations. A new report by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council entitled "Code, Regulatory and Systemic Barriers Affecting Living Building Projects" presents a case for fundamental reassessment of building codes.
| Aug 11, 2010
Call for entries: Building enclosure design awards
The Boston Society of Architects and the Boston chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC-Boston) have announced a High Performance Building award that will assess building enclosure innovation through the demonstrated design, construction, and operation of the building enclosure.
| Aug 11, 2010
Portland Cement Association offers blast resistant design guide for reinforced concrete structures
Developed for designers and engineers, "Blast Resistant Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Structures" provides a practical treatment of the design of cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures to resist the effects of blast loads. It explains the principles of blast-resistant design, and how to determine the kind and degree of resistance a structure needs as well as how to specify the required materials and details.
| Aug 11, 2010
ACSA announces 2008-2009 ACSA/AISC steel design student competition winners
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) is pleased to announce the winners of the ninth annual steel design student competition for the 2008-2009 academic year. Administered by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the program challenged students, working individually or in teams, to explore a variety of design issues related to the use of steel in design and construction.
| Aug 11, 2010
ZweigWhite Announces 2009 Best Firms to Work For
Management consulting and research firm ZweigWhite has identified the best civil engineering, structural engineering, multidiscipline A/E services, environmental services, and architecture firms to work for in its annual ranking of top industry firms. These outstanding employers were selected based on their commitment to provide a positive work environment and challenging and interesting work opportunities for their employees.
