NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Police could soon be in a new building. Their current Headquarters has faced a slew of problems. Last summer, the building lost air conditioning, but officers could be sitting in a new high-rise in the next few months.
From no AC to rat infestations, the NOPD Headquarters building on Broad is struggling. Gilbert Montaño, the city's Chief Administrative Officer, agrees.
Montano told WWL Louisiana that the old building is "not a great investment, to keep dumping money into eroding decrepit buildings."
The plan is to move NOPD staff out of an old building into a new one. Montano said, "It is going to be an incredible upgrade for our NOPD officers and civilians who are housed in headquarters."
Staff will be based on the upper floors of 1615 Poydras St. across from the Superdome. ' It's a very valuable price that's under market rates, about $15 a foot the first two years, and then it goes up to 1617 and 18. And caps out at $19 a foot the last two years.'
Montano says the first year's lease cost will be more than $670 thousand, but that's still cheaper than upgrading the old building. "To replace the H-VAC system right now for the summer is about six and a half million dollars. Elevators, one to $2 million a shot. I mean, it is expensive, window glazing window covering two to $300,000," he said,
The plan is to sign a 10-year lease, which has to go before the city council on Thursday. Montano says another step will be establishing parking arrangements. He says the plan is to get the keys by May 1st.