New Bedford Police Headquarters Plan Targets Coggeshall Street Site

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — Nearly 27 years after moving into its “temporary” home, the New Bedford Police Department is one step closer to having a permanent new headquarters, as a facilities study has determined the new HQ should be built on Coggeshall Street.

Why Coggeshall Street Was Chosen

According to a City of New Bedford release, the planning and architectural firm Caolo & Bieniek Associates Inc. (CBA) recommended land owned by the city and the state at 360 Coggeshall Street as the best location for the new headquarters “due to its central location throughout the City of New Bedford, adjacencies to the downtown development, ample utilities to serve a building of this size and existing infrastructure for police traffic patterns and resident access to the new police headquarters.”

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How the City Evaluated Potential Locations

CBA chose the Coggeshall Street location over another piece of city-owned property on Church Street between Coffin Avenue and Collette Street because the Coggeshall location was “the most cost-effective solution.”

READ MORE: New Bedford Begins Process for New Police Headquarters

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and then-Police Chief Paul Oliveira announced in September 2024 that the department was seeking a new home 25 years after moving into the site of the former Fernandes Supermarket on Rockdale Avenue, which was originally supposed to only be a temporary location when the department moved in back in January 1999.

Why the Current Police HQ Needs Replacement

The Jensen Hughes review of the New Bedford Police Department that was initiated in 2023 included among its suggestions that a new headquarters was needed to replace outdated facilities no longer meeting industry standards.

READ MORE: New Bedford Police Release Two-Year Assessment

CBA examined the current and future operational requirements of the NBPD in making its determination, including “staffing, policies and procedures, as well as the need for confidentiality, security and the safety of officers and the public.” The firm also looked at the possibility of renovating or adding to existing facilities such as the South End Public Safety Center on Brock Avenue, the North End Substation on Ashley Boulevard, and the current headquarters on Rockdale Avenue.

“Due to significant space and site constraints, it was determined that new construction of a police headquarters at one of the two studied locations is necessary,” CBA wrote.

Who Will Lead the Project?

The City had previously selected Project Planning Professionals (P3) as the project manager for the construction of a new police headquarters. P3 also served as project manager for the Zeiterion Theater renovation and is in the same role for the construction of the new Congdon-DeValles Elementary School in the South End.

What the New Headquarters Will Include

CBA has recommended the construction of a three-story building with a basement level at 360 Coggeshall Street that would measure approximately 87,800 square feet. It would also replace the North End Substation on Ashley Boulevard.