Out With the Old

Say goodbye to Reno's downtown police station at that location

Reno Police Department on 2nd Ave.Photo byDowtown Makeover

Once a landmark of authority for decades in the biggest little city, but now it is to be razed and relocated. I can only imagine the number of fond memories this historical relic has locked up inside it only to be buried under the rubble.

In its place, Reno is planning on building a Fire Station. A majestic 50 million-dollar firehouse will sit there instead. The project is scheduled to begin in the middle of 2025 and be completed by 2027.

The 1947 eye-soar of a police department in downtown Reno is moving in with the Reno Public Safety Center at the old Reno Gazette-Journal building on Sutro and Kuenzli.

This is a much nicer facility and bigger. The old building was designed to hold 50 officers, now it staffs 500 people all crunched in trying to find workspace. Often they resort to dilapidated, rundown empty cells trying to create room to work.

The new building is much bigger, nicer inside, better parking, and the merging of the two departments into one building.

"I think the most important part is knowing that the name of the center, Public Safety Center. That's what it's all about," said Reno City Councilmember Oscar Delgado. "It's not the Reno Police Department. We really thoughtfully thought about that process as we've moved forward—is community engagement."

As RPD's Chief Soto mentioned, it is just good planning to have programs such as dispatch, mobile outreach safety teams for folks in crisis, and victim services under one roof. It is simply a smarter way to organize emergency-related agencies.

So, in with the New Fire Station and out with the "Ugly Baby" (to quote Channel 2 News) of downtown Reno. As soon as they get moved out the demolition is supposed to begin.

Cheers!

References:

Downtown Makeover - Council to discuss demolishing police station, building fire station downtown (downtownmakeover.com)

News4.com - Reno Police moving HQ into new Public Safety Center (mynews4.com)

News2.com - New Reno Public Safety Center | Video | 2news.com

I'm Done!Photo byH. Mikel Feilen