The Town of Bargersville’s new police station reflects a story of growth and development, on a variety of levels.
Currently under construction on the northside of Bargersville, IN, the $3.6 million station will help the Town better serve its growing community. The project embraces developments in technology, both through elements of the design and construction process and the facility’s features. The project team reflects the welcomed growth in the number of women in the design and construction industry.
Built for the Growing Department and the Growing Community
With the new facility, the Bargersville Police Department will finally have its own building. Officers will soon have spaces that accommodate their needs today and into the future, from training, meeting, and squad rooms to investigation areas and storage space. The site will also include five electric vehicle charging stations to power the department’s Tesla fleet — two dual stations in the parking lot that are also open to the public, and one super charging station in the garage for officers’ use.
“For several years now, one of our goals has been to have a permanent home for our police department so they can grow with our community and continue to provide excellent public safety for our residents,” said Julie Young, Town Manager for the Town of Bargersville. “The department has been working out of a facility the Town is renting, and that presents challenges. Owning a building will help the department plan for the next 20 years, growing as the community grows.”
Centrally located in a rapidly developing area, the 9,000 square-foot police station will enhance the department’s coverage and response times.
“Given its prominent location, we wanted it to be a building that the whole community would be proud of,” Julie said. “The Town doesn’t build new facilities on a regular basis, so we wanted the design to set the tone for our main corridors and complement our other sites, as well.”
The Town engaged Peterson Architecture to program the space and establish the design.
“We worked with Julie and the team to create an aesthetic that represented the community of Bargersville,” said Tara Anker, architect at Peterson Architecture. “The Town had unity in their vision and faith in our team, which is always helpful.”
To turn the Town’s vision into reality, the Town selected The Hagerman Group as construction manager.
“The Hagerman Group has blended well with our team, and it has been a great relationship,” Julie said. “If a challenge or issue arises, Hagerman comes to us with potential solutions to select from. It has been extremely beneficial to have their expertise and to have them taking care of our project daily. I’ve also been pleased with Hagerman’s communication. The entire team is available and responsive.”
Aimee Flynn serves as Project Superintendent, having recently been promoted from Carpenter Foreman.
“This is a nice project to start out with as superintendent,” Aimee said. “I have a lot of support and lots of people to bounce ideas off of, the subcontractors have been great to work with, and it’s enjoyable and rewarding seeing the project come out of the ground.”
Enhancing the Process Through Advancements in Technology
In addition to managing the construction process, Hagerman’s use of technology has enhanced the Town’s experience. Hagerman’s ongoing drone footage has helped the design and construction team obtain site measurements and document construction progress. Hagerman’s models and virtual reality (VR) tools have enhanced communication and decision making.
Using Enscape and Autodesk Revit software, members of Hagerman’s Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) Team — VDC Manager Dee Woodward and VDC Engineer Megan Reust — generated a 3D model to use with Hagerman’s VR equipment. The model and VR headset allowed members of the police department to walk through the space.
“When you don’t work in construction, it can be hard to visualize 2D drawings,” said Ashley Phillips, Hagerman Assistant Project Manager. “With the model Dee and Megan developed, the officers could envision their future space, understand its scale, and discuss where they would locate items and what activities would take place in the various spaces. The exercise also helped the officers select finishes because we could change out options in the model.”
“We enjoyed being able to produce the model,” Dee said. “It was a new, exciting way to provide new services for the owner. We enjoy doing it because we like making it right and helping owners visualize their space the best they can.”
Megan, who joined Hagerman in late 2021, appreciates the company’s culture and the opportunities it provides to explore new technologies and programs.
“It’s fun to be part of a team that values learning and welcomes my input and perspectives,” Megan said. “It’s nice to have the freedom to explore ways to add value to the company and our department.”
In addition to helping the officers visualize their future environment, Julie said the VR activity generated additional excitement about the project.
“Going through the VR process, the officers have been very happy,” Julie said. “I can’t wait to see their faces when they walk into the new facility, and we see the vision become a reality.”
A Project Team Powered By Women
In addition to the unique aspects of the Bargersville police station, its project team has another distinctive trait — nearly all the project leaders are women.
“It’s neat that the team is primarily female — I didn’t realize that at first,” said Diana Bradley, Hagerman Project Coordinator. “We have a really good group of women working together.”
“I enjoy working for a company that empowers women in construction,” Ashley said. “Our team is awesome, and I’ve learned a lot from Aimee. It has been amazing to go on site with her and ask questions.”
For civil engineering and surveying, the Town engaged Northpointe Engineering & Surveying, Inc., a woman-owned business located near Bargersville. President Donna Jo Smithers and Vice President Venus Thorne are sisters who own and lead the company.
“There are 10 years between us, so I grew up with Donna being in this industry,” Venus said. “It wasn’t a big deal to me until I got to college and most students in my classes were men. It puts things into perspective about how cool it is to have females leading companies and projects.”
“There were no women in the firms I worked for when I started,” Donna added. “As the years have gone on, we’re seeing more and more women in the industry, which is a great thing.”
Julie noted she’s often the only female in the room for conversations related to building projects, so it has been great to see more women moving into the design and construction trades.
“It’s refreshing to see this many women involved because until now, I hadn’t participated in a project where that was the case,” Julie said. “It’s exciting to see the progress, and exciting that it’s happening on our project.”
