JE Dunn Construction, along with the architectural team of Durrant and SmithGroup, celebrated the groundbreaking yesterday for the Denver Police Crime Laboratory, a 60,000-square-foot facility that will replace the existing crime lab. JE Dunn is serving as the construction manager/general contractor for the City and County of Denver project, a $36 million facility that will include an underground connection to the existing Police building and three levels of lab and office space.
The new facility will be approximately 46,000-square-feet larger than the existing Crime Lab housed in the Denver Police Administration Building. The larger space will enable the Denver Crime Laboratory Bureau to offer improved forensic and evidence-handling resources to scientists and investigators.
The Crime Laboratory will connect to the Police Administration Complex at 14th Avenue between Cherokee and Delaware. The secure connection from the lab to the Denver Evidence Bureau will ensure maximum protection of forensic evidence. Last year, Denver’s Crime Lab handled more than 10,000 cases.
The new Crime Lab is funded though the City and County of Denver’s $550 million Better Denver Bond Program. The Bond Program was passed by voters in 2007 to support enhancements and new construction of city facilities. The program is geared to improve, preserve, renovate and build new roads, libraries, parks, hospitals, public safety facilities, and cultural facilities among others.
“We are very excited to be part of this project and to extend our relationship with the City of Denver,” said Mark Reilly, chief operating officer for JE Dunn. “This will be a state-of-the-art facility that not only will support the City’s public safety efforts, but also infuse positive activity into the local economy.”
The lab is being designed and constructed with the goal of achieving Certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) through sustainable construction approaches recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council. The new lab’s design has addressed energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, and improved indoor air quality. The materials selected for the building address security and longevity, in addition to complementing the surrounding architecture of Denver’s Civic Center.
Construction of the crime lab is targeted for completion by mid-year 2012.