New Britain's police department moved to the next level of public safety this month with the opening of its new facility located in the heart of downtown. Downes Construction Company proudly announces its work on the new police station, which includes five levels and houses a dispatch and emergency operations center. Utilizing the design/build approach, Downes Construction Co. constructed the 91,300 s/f facility with a 30-month start-to-finish time, including six months of early design time and 24 months of construction time. The building, located at the corner of Chestnut and Main Streets, features a modern forensics lab, including a signal isolation room to reconstruct electronic device history, as well as a tiered lecture room for 100, a library, a physical combat training room and a dual-function pistol range. "The New Britain police station project has been a model project in both teamwork and technology," said John Downes, III, president of Downes Construction Co. "We take great pride in constructing this modern facility, as New Britain is where we also hang our hats, and we continue to enjoy our positive relationship with the city of New Britain." The New Britain police station was fully wired with fiber optic cable, enabling it to adapt to technological advances. Additionally, the facility's teaching areas and community room are fully wired for audio/visual devices and ready for outside news organizations to "plug and play." The design/build team of Downes Construction Co. and architect Kaestle Boos Associates worked closely with city departments and the police department staff to ensure every detail of the project met the specifications and needs of New Britain. Since 1934, Downes Construction Co. has been building excellence throughout New England. Downes Construction Co. provides a full range of construction-related services, from project planning and design to construction. Using a unique combination of technology, in-depth staffing experience and a family commitment to maintaining the highest standards for quality, Downes Construction Co. has built repeat business from a wide array of clients.