Allen city council approves $227,550 contract to convert former police station into office space
The 1988 building at 205 W. McDermott Drive will be remodeled to house the city's finance and engineering departments before the police move to a new facility in early 2027.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Residents of Allen will see the city's administrative operations shift away from the police headquarters as the department prepares to relocate. The Allen City Council approved a contract on Nov. 10 that will transform the former police building into a shared workspace for other municipal staff.
The council agreed to pay Huitt-Zollars, Inc. $227,550 for the design and remodel of the facility. The building, constructed in 1988, currently sits behind City Hall at 205 W. McDermott Drive. City documents indicate the space will eventually accommodate 61 staff workstations for the finance and engineering departments.
Construction work will include several major changes to the structure. The planned renovations involve modifying office areas and updating accessibility features. Workers will also replace the aging heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and the roof over the second-floor addition. The former jail cell block is scheduled for demolition.
Huitt-Zollars is responsible for providing planning, design, and engineering services for the project. City documents state that these improvements aim to extend the useful life of the facility and improve its overall performance and reliability. The goal is to create a functional workspace for city operations.
The conversion is part of a larger effort to upgrade the police infrastructure. Allen voters approved an $83 million bond in 2023 to fund a new $97.1 million headquarters. The new facility will span 103,000 square feet across three stories. It is located on Century Parkway, positioned between the current City Hall and the Allen post office.
Assistant Police Chief Kyle Taliaferro noted that the department has grown alongside the city and exceeded the capacity of its current building several years ago. The new headquarters will include a large community room, an expanded property and evidence room, and a larger crime scene lab. It will also feature secure parking, strategically organized workspaces, a human performance center for officer wellness, and a spacious training room.
Chris Flanigan, the director of engineering, reported that construction of the new police facility is currently on time and on budget. The department is scheduled to move into the new building in March 2027.
