Sale of Briscoe, New Police Station Recommended

BEVERLY, MA – Briscoe, the Sohier Road structure built in 1923 that has been all things to the people of Beverly (high school, junior high, and middle school), may be sold after the completion of the new middle school in 2018.

The Building Reuse Committee recommended on Monday to sell the building, build a new police station, and retrofit the existing police station for City Hall employees. The new police station would be a significant upgrade from the 6,400 square feet of office space in the current Cabot Street police station next to City Hall.

The police station would be built on a city-owned parcel in front of the Cummings Center on Elliott Street.

"There is a desire, if possible, to try to preserve the historic significance of that building in some fashion," said Beverly Chief of Staff Kevin Harutunian of the Briscoe building. He said the city will look at ways to partner with a buyer to preserve the building, but it's too soon to say whether a sale is definite.

"There's a significant need for police to have a larger space to operate as effectively as possible," said Harutunian. Currently, Beverly detectives and animal control operate outside of the police station. With a new structure, they would join their colleagues at headquarters.

Related: Beverly Middle School On Track For 2018

Based on police stations in nearby communities of similar size and need, the city is looking at a 36,000 square foot building for the new police station. According to a presentation at the last committee meeting, this scenario is the least expensive option at an estimated $27 million, including the sale of the Briscoe building.

The committee is drafting a formal recommendation of this scenario to Mayor Michael Cahill, and the mayor's office will work on what the next steps for the building should be.

The three-story Briscoe building has 144,349 square feet, and needs a new boiler, HVAC system, windows, roof, and more. There are also issues with the building's plumbing, electrical system, and concerns regarding asbestos in the ceiling, floor, and basement.

It's too soon to say who would buy the structure – which is primarily surrounded by residential neighborhoods and is close to both the downtown and the high school – or whether the building will definitely be sold.

Image via Taylor Rapalyea, Patch Staff