The completion of a road project and the construction of a new police station are part of the progress in a prospering Genoa Township in southeastern Delaware County.
Concrete blocks are emerging from the ground of what will be the township’s new police station.
“The building is currently under construction,” said David King, president of Dublin-based Horne & King Architects, in an email. “The footings have been started. Construction will be completed at end of 2020. It is located at Big Walnut Road and North State Street. It is across from the current building and is an important gateway site.”
The firm said the station is a one-story, 16,400 square-foot complex. Upon completion, it will include a temporary detainee holding area, evidence processing, storm shelter, department physical and educational training rooms, and a covered cruiser parking area.
King said the construction cost is $5.7 million, and Gutknecht Construction is the contractor.
Genoa residents passed a 0.8-mill property tax bond levy in 2018 to replace the 1970s-era building, which the township said was not meeting the needs of the police department. The police station and Genoa Fire Department were sharing the same facility.
Interestingly, Genoa’s station will still be next to state Route 3; while the Westerville Police Department will be moving its headquarters from that same road (called State Street in the city) to land it owns at 229 Huber Blvd. Voters approved Issue 29, a $15 million, 0.96-mill bond issue for a 28,500 square-foot combined police, 9-1-1, investigations, and Mayor’s Court facility last November.
Also in Genoa, residents along South Old 3C Highway are happy that it is no longer a work zone, recently opening north of Mount Royal Avenue and north of Freeman Road. Local traffic had to use one lane or another during the project, and were allowed to go southbound, but now it is open in both directions.
According to the Delaware County Engineer’s Office, the improvements consisted of reconstruction of “storm sewers, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and a new traffic signal at Hawksbeard/Genoa Middle School.” The county said the $5.5 million project began in June 2018.
“It is our understanding there will be some more work in the spring, but for now, it is back open,” the Genoa Township Police Department posted on Facebook.
In other township news, it was announced that Deanna Asher Dunlap and Shannon Bateson were the winners of the holiday lights contest. They won free tickets for Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights.
