Key Dates

Saturday, September 28, 2024 9:00 am to 11:00 am

Open House

Join us for an open house at the historic high school (201 E. 12th St.) building slated to be the new Police Department and City Hall. This is your opportunity to wander the halls and see the before! Coffee and snacks will be provided.

Saturday, October 12, 2024 9:00 am to 11:00 am

Open House

Join us for an open house at the historic high school (201 E. 12th St.) building slated to be the new Police Department and City Hall. This is your opportunity to wander the halls and see the before! Coffee and snacks will be provided.

Saturday, November 16, 2024 9:00 am to 11:00 am

Open House

Join us for an open house at the historic high school (201 E. 12th St.) building slated to be the new Police Department and City Hall. This is your opportunity to wander the halls and see the before! Coffee and snacks will be provided.

Councilors have directed staff to seek ways to enhance the City's customer service by consolidating various departments into a centrally located Police Department and City Hall in the historic high school building at 201 E. 12th Street and 215 E. 12th Street. Existing buildings such as City Hall and the Police Department are space-constrained, have limited seating, and outdated technology and facilities. The repurposing of the historic property may also include community meeting space.

Vision

It is the vision of the city that the development of a new Police Department and City Hall at the historic high school property will provide for Durango's future while leveraging assets from Durango's past. In addition, it would create a municipal center that can be versatile enough to meet the growing needs of the City of Durango and its community.

History

The historic high school building was built in 1916 and utilized as the old Durango High School from 1917 until 1976. The property is registered with both the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Places.

A Master Facility Program from 1994 that considered using the former 9-R building as a combined municipal space is once again being considered. In July 2022, the Durango Fire Protection District entered into a year-long memorandum of understanding with the city to explore the potential of rebuilding the city’s River City Hall property as the fire district’s downtown facility. A master facility plan from 2015 also addressed space constraints faced by city government. The DFPD and the City of Durango worked out an agreement that included an exchange of River City Hall for the historic high school building on August 1st, 2023.

Meet the Original Architects

Why Relocate?

  • Enhance the level of customer service in a single location.
  • Grow beyond the constraints of existing buildings. For example, council chambers has limited seating and technology options.
  • Staff has reached capacity at existing city locations. There is insufficient room to accommodate new staff, which limits the city's ability to provide services to the community.
  • A new Police Department and City Hall could serve as catalyst for investment on East Second Avenue.
  • Developing a new Police Department and City Hall could increase the potential for enhanced public involvement in local government, and enhance community engagement.
  • Employees will be able to enjoy a direct multimodal route to work once the Camino del Rio underpass is completed.
  • A new Police Department and City Hall would create the opportunity for various public uses, which the 9-R building has provided historically.

Tour An Aging City Facility

Interior Design Concept

Give us your feedback about the interior community spaces!

What would you like to see the community rooms used for? What considerations are needed with these rooms? What do you want to see in Council Chambers? What are your wish list items? (max 140 characters).

You have 140 characters left
Moderation Policy

No submissions yet.

Exterior Design Concept

Before: Current image of alleyway east of historic high school site with poles and power lines above ground, inadequate drainage. Conceptual: Rendering of proposed improvements with buried utility lines, new pavers, improved drainage.

Do you feel the alleyway is worth the additional investment? Tell us what you think!

Loading Conversation

Quick Poll

Do you support the current design direction?