Walpole Police Station
Walpole, New Hampshire
Client: Town of Walpole, NH
Year completed: 2024
Square footage: 7,850 square feet
Estimated cost of construction: $6.2 million
In August 2023, the Town of Walpole issued an RFP to design a new police station, recognizing that the current facility at 4 Russell Street, built in 1996, no longer meets the community’s growing needs. Over the past three decades, Walpole’s population has increased by nearly 19%, prompting the police department to expand from a small, part-time team to a full staff of seven officers as of 2024. The existing 2,500-square-foot, wood-framed station has become inadequate for modern law enforcement requirements and cannot accommodate future growth.
To address this, the town identified a more central site on Upper Walpole Road for a new, larger facility, aiming for better coverage and operational efficiency. Michael Petrovick Architects was commissioned to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study, evaluating space and land needs, designing preliminary plans, and estimating costs. The study assessed the current building’s limitations, explored the new site, and developed conceptual plans to guide future development.
Our conceptual design process considered the following goals:
- Building design for a life span of fifty (50) years to meet the police department and community’s current and future operational needs.
- A station that can accommodate projected staff and equipment needs for the next 10-20 years, including an ability for future expansion.
- Design that is in keeping with the scale and rural aesthetic of the Town of Walpole.
- Utilization of quality and cost-effective construction methods and materials, finishes, and systems that will serve the town and taxpayers.
- A responsibly sustainable facility.
Beginning with the program and the proposed site, our team explored options to meet the established vision of a functional, cost-effective, and sustainable solution.
Completed in fall 2024, this strategic assessment provides the foundation for Walpole’s efforts to build a state-of-the-art police station that supports community safety, operational growth, and long-term sustainability.
