North Providence Public Safety Complex

RGB provided services from study through design and construction administration for a new public safety complex for the Town of North Providence. Schradergroup and Manns Woodward consulted on program and concept design. Building construction was completed in 2019. The new complex features a contemporary design that brings together police and fire departments as well as a municipal court. The design team coordinated design for the different and combined needs of these departments.
The courtroom necessitates access by the public. Furthermore, the courtroom doubles as a community room to be shared by the townspeople. Members of the public are welcomed by a unique, curved canopy and glass entry leading to a highly visible court area. The court is positioned in the center of the facility elevation facing the road. The court’s physical location bisects the major functions of the police and fire departments. The design intent of the canopy, public areas, and exterior plaza is to connect the two departments together and to draw in the community. The community room by design allows the public close to the public safety component. The overall contemporary aesthetic in use belies the design team’s intention to evoke historic, small town police stations with meaningful community aspects.
The collaboration delivered best practices for this contemporary design including modern IT and data, dispatch, evidence holding areas, crime lab, decontamination areas, training and fitness areas, and intake and processing areas. The budget is $30 million. To help the Town maintain this budget, RGB is providing additional services by means of an extended construction administration contract. A ‘pad ready’ site was preferred because of the extensive debris and rock on site, and the identified need for a tank for run off; RGB initiated this process which we estimate to have saved $2 million in cost.
RGB designed the fire station with drive-through bays and bi-fold doors equipped with north facing hi-bay windows allowing natural light to enter, reducing hazards of dark area that need to be avoided during response activations. Special lighting operations work with various alarms and emergency signals. A central dispatch area serves police and fire independently or in a combined manner in times of emergency for all responders.