ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Construction is 75 percent complete on the new St. Petersburg Police headquarters and Emergency Operations Center.
- $79 million, 167,000-square-foot complex nears completions
- Setbacks in April and September, but officials confident project will meet deadline
- More Pinellas County headlines
Spectrum Bay News 9 was allowed Wednesday inside the fences to see some of the progress. Construction officials say much of the work now is going on inside the structure.
"It's duct work and conduit and getting ready for light fixtures and sprinkler systems," said Bill Byrnes, president of Ajax Building Corporation. "Other areas, we're putting other finishes down - flooring, final paint, ceiling tile, that sort of thing."
The $79 million, 167,000-square-foot complex is taking shape. The sally port where prisoners will be brought into the department is almost completed.
Police officials are eager to move in.
"We're going to be combined into one area," said Asst. Police Chief Mike Kovacsev.
"We have everything that we need and everyone will come to one location. Right now we're spread out throughout the city," he said.
The project has had its fair share of setbacks, like in April when a crane crashed down, barely missing workers and the building, and in September when a section of the new roof started leaking
But construction officials are confident the project will be completed by a March 2019 deadline.
"Obviously the crane incident was a little more than anyone would like to see," Byrnes said, "The building envelope issues, the roof wasn't done. When roofs aren't done and it rains, then water gets in. The roofs are now more complete and water conditions are dry."