City Council OK’s Doug Young Public Safety Training Facility

The Murfreesboro City Council Thursday (June 21) formally approved two (architectural and engineering) firms to develop and construct the Doug Young Public Safety Training Facility. The facility is under development on Bridge Avenue at the location of the former Franklin Heights Housing Complex.

Council approved a Client Services Agreement with Nashville-based Sevalus, LLC to serve as Owner’s representative for the construction project at a cost of $232,314 or 4.65 percent of the project cost. Sevalus, and City staff reviewed a Request for Proposal (RFP) for architectural and engineering services, reviewing seven submittals that resulted in the recommendation of Lebanon-based Hall Group, LLC for architectural services. Services include design development, construction documents, bidding or negotiation, and construction phase services at an estimated cost of $250,000.

“Once completed, the Doug Young Public Safety Training Facility will provide a safe location for police and fire personnel to conduct state-of-the-art training,” said Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Chief Mark Foulks. “The complex will allow public safety officers to undergo search and rescue training, rappelling, tactical exercises, driver training and classroom training to sharpen skills.”

The property has already been used for some limited training, including a Firehouse Expo in 2016 and 2017 which attracted over 400 firefighters from across the country. The completed facility will provide training space for local, state and regional public safety agencies to train within the confines of a complex that will include the following:

• Training and Administration building
• Outdoor classroom/restroom facility with kitchen
• Storage building for equipment
• Active shooter building
• Simulated streetscape for motor vehicle accidents, traffic stops, etc.
• Driving pad
• K-9 training area
• Physical fitness/obstacle course
• Burn module for Class A* Burns

Five buildings from the previous housing complex remain in place along the back of the property for various practical training activities. A Drill Tower for training on search and rescue, rappelling, confined space rescue, and other tactical exercises has already been constructed at the facility. The training facility will NOT have a firing range and will have landscaping and other buffers in place around the perimeter for minimal impact to surrounding residential areas.

The training facility will benefit more than public safety training. Murfreesboro residents and businesses could also reap benefits. Maintaining and upgrading training certifications of public safety personnel enhances the Insurance Services Office Class (ISO) rating, which can translate into lower property insurance premiums.

The City Council providing Capital Improvement Plan funding for the training facility in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 CIP funds at a total $6.25 million. Resolution 18-R-09, approved by the Council on May 24, 2018, allowed for use of a portion of the 2019 CIP funds to complete the site work portion of the project. Current work is phase 2 of construction. Phase 1 included demolition of buildings, construction of the drill tower, and rehabilitation on structures that were retained.

The City Council named the new training center after late Vice Mayor Doug Young, a life-long leading advocate for police and fire personnel. Groundbreaking for the complex was held November 8, 2016.

Under the Client Services Agreement, Sevalus, LLC would also provide Owner’s representative services for construction of the General Aviation Terminal at the Municipal Airport.