State Police step up to new quarters in South Salem

A developer is constructing a complex of buildings that will become the base for most Oregon State Police operations in Salem, including the law enforcement agency's Northwest Region Headquarters.

Oregon State Police will eventually move into leased space in three buildings under development at a site off of Trelstad Avenue SE in South Salem, state officials said. The location is near the intersection of 36th Avenue and Kuebler Boulevard SE.

The privately-owned buildings will provide workspace for more than 360 state employees. Some earth-moving to prepare the vacant site for construction has already been done.

Target date for project's completion: Spring 2016

Matt Shelby, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, said the buildings are being developed by Lake Oswego based Cobalt Development. The project, owned by Premier Protection LLC, will have a total of 119,700 square feet in the three buildings, he said. It includes more than 400 parking spaces.

Rick Willis, director of administrative serves for the state police, said the new location will consolidate offices that are now spread over multiple leased locations. That should provide better efficiencies, he said.

"It's very close to I-5, so that's another big plus for us," Willis said.

Moreover, the new complex is specifically designed for the state police, unlike the agency's leased space at 3710 Portland Road NE, a collection of buildings previously occupied by retailers.

State police operations headed to the South Salem site include:

• Northwest Region Headquarters, ID services and fleet services now located on Portland Road NE.

• The State Fire Marshal office also on Portland Road NE.

• And the state police general headquarters now at 255 Capitol St. NE.

The Capitol Patrol will maintain an office on the Capitol Mall, but officers will begin their shift at the new building, which will have lockers for their gear and parking for patrol vehicles.

While the new facilities in South Salem are an improvement for state police, the prospect of a large empty space on Portland Road NE concerns some neighbors.

"It's a loss. The presence of public safety in the area was a positive," said Don Russo, chairman of the Northgate Neighborhood Association

Russo worries that it may take a long time for the Portland Road NE property to find new tenants, adding to the struggling neighborhood's problems with blight.

At the new property in South Salem, the state will pay monthly rent of about $143,348, according to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.

DAS spokesman Shelby said the rent cost is "the exact same amount" as what the state currently pays for rent at the locations that are moving to South Salem.

mrose@StatesmanJournal .com (503) 399-6657 or follow on Twitter @mrose_sj

More about the project

A complex of buildings, to be built on a site off of Trelstad Avenue SE, near the intersection of 36th Avenue SE and Kuebler Boulevard SE, will serve an office for the Oregon State Police. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2016.

Landlord: Premier Protection LLC

Developer: Cobalt Development

Contractor: Dalke Construction

Architect: David Gellos Architect

Engineer: TM Rippey and WesTech Engineering

Total square footage of the project: A combined total of 119,700-square-feet in three buildings. The main office is 82,000 square feet. A 30,000-square-foot building will be used by fleet services, and the structure will have the ability to be expanded with a second story in the future. A 7,700-square-foot building will be used for emergency vehicles that need heat and cover, such as bomb squad trucks.

Price: Total monthly rent is about $143,348.

Tenant improvement price: All improvements are being paid by the landlord.

Source: Oregon Department of Administrative Services