The Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved on March 12 a $1,024,183 contract with Garland/Design Build Solutions, Inc. to restore the existing exterior wall and roof at the new Public Safety Training Center, 2435 East-West Connector, Austell.
This project was approved in the 2016 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) program in the November 2014 general election.
Formerly a BJ’s Wholesale Club, the 115,369-square-foot structure was built in 2003 on nearly 20 acres and purchased for $10,750,000 by Cobb County in 2018 to house the Police Training facility.
Since the existing exterior wall and roof have been exposed to harsh elements, exterior cleaning, repairs and roof restoration are required to prevent water infiltration, according to Property Management Director Scott Barfield, Public Safety Agency Director Sam Heaton and Support Services Agency Director Eddie Canon in a March 12 memo.
“Our current training center was built in 1992 for 600 fire and police officers,” said Heaton last year in a news release. “We’ve grown to more than 1,400 now. This facility will allow us to enhance our training programs moving forward, and the indoor firing range will reduce the impact to surrounding neighborhoods.”
Heaton said the old training facility, off County Services Parkway, will be redone for use by the Fire Department only.
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