Wright Construction targeted the St. Louis County Police Precinct #3 project located in Afton, Missouri, as a “must have” project and actively engaged the marketplace to heighten interest and increase minority participation. The 15,000 square foot facility was in the works for more than five years and ultimately designed to naturally foster engagement both internally and within the community in a positive manner with officers while the open space and fitness areas promote increased productivity and higher morale.
The site required demolition of greenhouses and existing structures which contained asbestos unbeknownst to all parties involved. The presence of asbestos delayed permitting until the buildings were thoroughly mitigated and cleared for demolition. Initially, Wright Construction was allotted 456 calendar days to complete the project which included the added asbestos abatement. Wright made every conscious effort to not only drive the project schedule but additionally to ensure that costs were controlled across the board. The project was completed with a committed and achieved 31.2 % MBE and 19.10% WBE participation goal thus exceeding the required MBE | WBE goals of 29.6% and 11.7% respectively.
The facility is a state-of-the-art building with a modern exterior constructed of a load bearing steel frame, CMU, and a metal panel rain screen system, longboard siding, clerestory windows, decorative but functional fencing, security gates, and EV charging stations. The interior includes office spaces, a detention area, a drive-thru Sally Port, weight room, and a community room. The interior is a stylishly appointed and functionally versatile space designed to encourage robust interaction among the staff and community that also serves as a processing and detention center and is equipped with an evidence storage room, in-take stations, and jail cells. The facility is a major improvement over the 1,200 square foot space previously occupied by the precinct.
Wright approached construction mindfully and offered value engineering considerations throughout the project. Innovative rework of the atrium insulation resulted in energy costs savings, redesigning and building the concrete safety bollards and adjusting the foundation height between the bollards eliminated the need to mow and weed between the bollards thus protecting them from unintentional damage and reducing maintenance.
Wright Construction is expressly experienced in the construction deliverable and facility type of the St. Louis County Police Precinct #3; therefore, their qualified project team was prepared for this high profile project. Focusing on one of Wright’s Adopted Rules of Business – Communicate, It Is Not Possible to Over communicate – meetings and schedules served as proven tools in advancing construction, addressing issues, refining schedules, and reinforcing best and safe practices. Wright provided guidance with long lead items and assistance in establishing key milestone dates while job site safety and environmental awareness were prioritized and considered daily.
The new precinct building was named in memory of Officer Blake Snyder who lost his life in the line of duty responding to a disturbance call in October 2016. Officer Snyder’s wife, son, and mother were present at the Grand Opening Ceremony and stated, “Blake loved, he absolutely loved, the Afton community”.
