The fate of a new police station for the city of Bainbridge Island took an unexpected twist Tuesday night after the council asked City Manager Doug Schulze to ask the developers of a controversial shopping center near Highway 305 about leasing space to the city for its police department.
The surprise development came after the council voted earlier in its Tuesday business meeting to push off a decision on joining with the Bainbridge Island Fire Department to construct a dual-use police/fire facility on the fire department’s property on Madison Avenue near Highway 305.
Fire officials have been talking about new and improved facilities for the fire department for months, and discussions with city officials last year turned to the possibility of sharing land and a building with the fire department. Bainbridge police have long been anxious to leave their cramped, outdated and sometimes pest-infested facility on Winslow Way.
Tuesday’s council meeting was preceded by a closed-door executive session where the council discussed “land acquisition” matters.
And on a 4-3 vote after the public portion of the meeting began, the council decided to delay a decision on a joint facility and continue that discussion at an upcoming council study session.
Later, however, council members suggested the city give a look at the location of a new shopping/commercial project currently under construction at the High School Road and Highway 305 intersection.
Visconsi, an Ohio-based developer, has cleared the property as construction gets underway for a new shopping center that will include a new bank, drug store, restaurants and other businesses.
Council members asked Schulze to send an inquiry to Visconsi to see what leasing options for putting the city’s police station located there.
While no one on the council said that idea was the best choice of possible locations — spots north and south of city hall, as well as at the fire department’s Madison Avenue station have been examined — some indicated the community should be made aware of any options to lease space in the new development.
