State law enforcement agencies are getting an upgrade and additions to their facilities in Raleigh, through phased projects initiated by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS).
WithersRavenel’s team has been involved in this endeavor, which DPS broke ground on in 2023. One of the projects includes an auditorium and museum building for the State Highway Patrol (SHP) off Garner Road in the City. This new building will form part of DPS’s wider campus that encompasses other SHP offices and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) buildings.
The wider campus was built in the 1930s, and currently, under Phase I, buildings are either being renovated or replaced with new construction of upgraded facilities on the SHP section of the campus. SHP is in need of an auditorium that could be the venue for its graduations and other events. Currently, the SHP uses off-campus venues for such events.
The building is being planned and constructed on a space that was undeveloped and will include a museum highlighting the history and achievements of the SHP. This is Phase II of the overall project, which is being led by architectural firm Smith Sinnett Architecture.
WithersRavenel is providing a range of permitting, planning, engineering, and landscape architecture services for this phase. The approximately 33,000-square-foot space will house a more than 500-seat, two-level auditorium. It will also include an 8,350-square-foot museum space that will accommodate displays such as vintage patrol cars.
The site design for the new auditorium and museum building includes an amenity area at the entrance to include outdoor exhibits and a memorial, a parking lot, and stormwater improvements to include on-site design and bypassing of site runoff from Garner Road. Additionally, there will be a new water main going into the campus.
The auditorium project has so far included (state-mandated) advance planning that was approved by the State Construction Office (SCO). We have also completed due diligence and a schematic design. Following the approval of design and funding, construction is likely to begin in early 2026.
Meanwhile, for Phase I, WithersRavenel worked directly with DPS on the existing SHP/SBI campus, which originally was the site of the School for the Deaf. The approximately 83-acre campus was built up through the 1960s and ‘70s. During the advanced planning process and following the completion of Phase I design (currently under construction), a need for coordinating utilities and stormwater master planning for other future phases came up. Our engineering team then completed the master plan for utilities and stormwater. This is aimed at providing greater efficiency as future facility improvement phases kick off, while streamlining and clarifying funding needs for aging infrastructure.
