Mount Pleasant Police Station

The City of Mount Pleasant wanted to review a vacant grocery store building and determine if the space could be renovated to provide a new location for the Mount Pleasant Police Department. The station being used was undersized and lacked secure evidence storage space.

Working with the City Administrator, Police Chief, Lieutenant, Mayor and City Council members, Shive-Hattery gathered necessary information to provide an evaluation of the vacant building.

The former grocery store proved to be an adaptable structure and Shive-Hattery developed the design for renovation of the store. The new home for the Police Department features 17,000 square feet of office space, interrogation rooms, a weight room, locker rooms, a squad room and a training room. The building also provides evidence storage and a garage for police vehicle maintenance.

Green design principles were used throughout the new facility. The existing lighting, flooring and mechanical systems were modified and reused. Street front parking lots were vegetated and used for storm water, retention which reduces heat island effect. Low-flow water fixtures and motion-sensored lighting conserve resources, and a new white EPDM roof will also reduce heat island effect.

The new police facility is a short walk from the town square, giving it a more community presence. The building’s site and facade compliment Mount Pleasant’s new streetscape design, which was also developed by Shive-Hattery. Historic aspects of Mount Pleasant are strongly featured while integrated with the new Police Station’s modern style.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department received $600,000 in I-jobs funding from the State of Iowa which helped finance over half of the project’s cost. This allowed the City to add necessary amenities while preserving funds in the overall city budget for other improvement projects.

Main Street Iowa recognized this project with an honorable mention award for Best Adaptive Use of a Building.