BALLSTON SPA — A building on Thompson St. in Ballston Spa could potentially serve as the next home of the Ballston Spa Police Department.
Mayor Frank Rossi said the Village has entered a letter of intent to purchase the property at 78 Thompson St., with the goal of it becoming the new home for the Village’s police force.
The news was first reported by The Daily Gazette. The Thompson St. building is currently occupied by Community Emergency Corps, which plans to move to a new facility that is under construction off Geyser Road in Milton.
The Police Department shares its current space at 30 Bath St. with the Village Court. Rossi said the Village had initially looked into moving both the Police Department and the court into the building on Thompson St., but realized it would be a suitable fit for the police department alone.
“When you walk in there with that kind of mentality, it’s amazing how well-suited the building is for the police themselves,” said Rossi.
30 Bath St. is roughly 4,200 square feet, he said, while the building at 78 Thompson is roughly 5,700 square feet. Rossi said on Tuesday the Village has put down a deposit and is waiting for a formal contract to be generated.
Rossi said the hope is for the BSPD to move into the space on Thompson St. by “mid-year” or potentially as soon as late spring of 2024. Several rooms in the building would be repurposed, with Rossi estimating the cost of renovations to range from the mid to high five figures.
Rossi added it will also be beneficial for the Police Department to have not only their own space, but also “their own identity, to a certain degree.”
“One of the things that Chief Dave Bush has been impressing upon me is the need to get an official sign that says, ‘The Ballston Spa Police Department,’ on the front,” said Rossi. “Because we don’t even have that, really, when you look at 30 Bath St. It’s kind of a lack of identity for our own police department.”
In regards to the Village Court, Rossi said that while he cannot speak for the Village Board of Trustees, his idea is to renovate the first floor of 30 Bath St. to a court and multi-purpose meeting room, noting that the Board of Trustees and other boards in the village typically meet at the Ballston Spa Public Library.
“Some just don’t have space, because it’s being utilized, so they have to go to other locations, which isn’t very good for open meeting purposes,” Rossi said. “So the idea would be to do … a multi-purpose courtroom, essentially. And kind of rethink that building, that first floor especially.”
Rossi also noted that relocating the Police Department to 78 Thompson St. would also make available some additional parking spots in the Village’s downtown area that are currently used to park police vehicles.
“So in terms of just morale and pride for our police, it would be a big step forward,” Rossi said. “And also, then for our court to have the ability to maybe apply for some grant money to give some better facilities for them as well, at least for the time being. That would be a big win for us as well.”
