Construction of Wellen Park and City of North Port Fire and Police Public Safety Building Continues

NORTH PORT, Fla. (Nov. 30, 2021) – Construction of the new City of North Port Public Safety Building by Wellen Park is on schedule. Located along Tamiami Trail near the intersection of Preto Boulevard, the 25,000-square-foot building is the future home of North Port Fire Station 86, a North Port Police annex and Sarasota County Fire Station 26. Total investment of the building is approximately $13 million.

Wellen Park and the City of North Port, partners on the development of the new building, broke ground in February. Exterior construction has been completed and windows have been installed. Work is currently underway on the building’s interior and the parking lots are scheduled to be paved in December. The police garage will be completed in late January, allowing for use during the Atlanta Braves’ 2022 spring training season.

After the Atlanta Braves’ World Series win, the new building is needed even more than before. The City of North Port provides emergency services to Wellen Park through its fire rescue and police departments. As the city’s population continues to grow west of the Myakka River, the new building is needed to meet current and future demand. The building will provide faster emergency services to Wellen Park and the surrounding areas.

“Wellen Park continues to grow at a steady pace,” said Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park. “With this new public safety building, we can ensure fire, police and other emergency services are readily available for the community.”

Construction by Willis Smith Construction is expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2022. Plunkett Raysich Architects designed the building. Engineering work is being completed by Snell Engineering Consultants, AM Engineering Inc., Kimley-Horn and Quest Design Group.

A four-bay, double-deep, 7,000-square foot apparatus room will house rescue vehicles and fire trucks behind bright red metal and glass doors. At the building’s corner, a 1946 Seagrave fire truck will sit within a glass display room, symbolizing the rich history of North Port Fire Rescue and glowing at night like a lantern for the community.

The new Station 86 will also provide offices, sleeping quarters and support space for the City of North Port and Sarasota County in this shared facility. A masonry stair tower will serve as a spot where personnel can practice rappelling, ladder and hose training and other simulated conditions.

The campus will also include a rescue helipad, 1,600-square-foot police garage for support equipment and dedicated parking for police and fire personnel and visitors. A commemorative Hero Plaza will memorialize and honor the men and women who have served for their dedication and achievements.

The Public Safety Building is located within the Downtown Wellen District, a vibrant hub currently under construction that will feature shopping, dining and entertainment options and other amenities. The mixed-use development will be open to residents and visitors alike and feature waterfront experiences, pedestrian-friendly streets and public community spaces.

Expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2022, Phase One of Downtown Wellen will include retail shops; waterfront dining and other restaurants; a stylish food truck park, a town hall; a unique natural playground and splash pad; an outfitter equipped with e-bikes, paddle boards and kayaks for enjoying the 80-acre Grand Lake; and a 2.8-mile health and wellness trail.

Wellen Park has been named the No. 5 top-selling master-planned community in the U.S. for 2021 by prominent real estate consulting firms John Burns and RCLCO. The community currently has approximately 9,000 residents, and at full build-out will have more than 60,000 residents and 22,000 homes.

For more information about living at Wellen Park, call 941-499-8210, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Sunday, 12-5 p.m.

 

Contact:

Jennifer Hamilton, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, 239-275-5758, [email protected]