For years, the City of Greenbrier knew it needed a new facility for its 14-person police force, but couldn't find a cost-effective means to construct one. "We were bursting the seams of the old building," said Greenbrier Police Chief Richard Hatfield. "Our investigators and captain were working out of the same area, the patrol team didn't have any room to meet, and there was little room for our supplies and files."

After learning that off-site construction methods had been used to quickly build a nearby bank, Chief Hatfield contacted ModSpace to inquire about a modular building for the police force.

What he learned was that ModSpace uses the same materials for its buildings as conventional construction companies use. The building process is the only difference between the two methods-modular structures, or modules, are built off-site in a controlled manufacturing environment and later placed on the building site. Off-site modular fabrication and assembly can accelerate the project schedule because site preparation can take place at the same time the buildings are being fabricated. Traditional construction methods require that these two phases happen sequentially.

"We'd been trying to get a new station for nearly five years," said Chief Hatfield. "Our stumbling block was the high cost of building new offices. Using conventional construction methods would have cost us nearly $500,000."A 16-year veteran of the force, Chief Hatfield had a vision for the type of layout that would meet the needs of his patrol, investigative and administrative departments. In April 2002, Chief Hatfield turned to ModSpace for fast, off-site fabrication of a permanent building. By September, the staff was settled into the facility. By using Modular Construction we were able to move in quickly and save several hundred thousand dollars."We assessed the specific space and security needs of the Greenbrier police force," said Josette Tabor, sales representative, ModSpace. "Working closely with Chief Hatfield, we developed a design for the station that served both the staff and the community. The result was a good-looking, functional building that was ready faster and for less cost than a traditionally constructed facility."

For the Greenbrier police headquarters, production of the building's four 14-foot by 60-foot modules started in late April. ModSpace designed the facility to meet standard building codes, which ensured a smooth approval process. While the modules were being constructed, ModSpace arranged for the site to be dug and prepared. The modules were then transported to the location and rolled into place on June 30, 2002.Once the building was up, ModSpace worked around the clock to install red brick over the entire building. Concrete steps, decks and handicap accessible ramps with a brick veneer finish also were built on-site. As a result, the precinct building matches nicely with the brick façade of the City's courthouse and fire station next door.

Click here to view the new buildings floorplan.

More Room to Maneuver
Police officials now have a facility that's designed specifically for law enforcement. The chief, captain and detective each have their own offices, while the patrol team can congregate in either the kitchenette/squad area or the conference room. Three additional offices are available for police staff and city personnel. Along with a spacious reception and waiting area, the building has an archive and storage room. It also features two key-entry, windowless rooms: an evidence room that's accessible only through the captain's office and a file room off the reception office. This layout ensures the safekeeping of reports and forensic data.

"A key factor in how we planned this building was that we wanted to control who had access to our evidence and file rooms," said Chief Hatfield. "ModSpace enabled us to develop a layout that was sound and secure and tailored to fit our needs.

"The Greenbrier Police also took advantage of innovative design features. Soundboards were installed in the walls of key offices as well as the conference room to minimize noise level and help keep information confidential. To support the precinct's security system, the waiting area and public restroom are blocked off from the rest of the building via a steel door that is operated through buzzer entry. The receptionist can view visitors through a bulletproof window with an opening for a metal slider tray to enable the easy exchange of documents and files. Communication with visitors occurs through an intercom.

Overall, the new precinct building gives the police officers of Greenbrier a more comfortable, secure facility in which to perform their critical duties."This was our first experience with modular methods and everything fell right into place," said Chief Hatfield. "I love this building; we have more room here and I'm enjoying every inch of it. I'd recommend that other police departments look into modular construction if they're in need of a fast, cost-saving solution for building a new facility."