BROOKLYN, Ohio — A multi-million dollar move is officially complete in the city of Brooklyn.
After years of working in the former City Hall and Police Station, the city just opened a state-of-the-art space that is said to improve public safety and the overall resident experience.
Crews built the new Brooklyn City Center from the ground up and wanted to make it a centralized, accessible spot.
The people behind the project say it puts them ahead of the game and will help residents and law enforcement continue to move in the right direction for years to come.
"The functionality of the space is so much better than it was," said Brooklyn Mayor Ron Van Kirk.
The 56,000-square-foot centerpiece of the city of Brooklyn is officially open to the public. "Building closed, moved across the street " signs now hang in the windows of the former City Hall.
The new $25-million Brooklyn City Center is a one-stop shop for city services. It's located steps away from the Recreation Center.
And unlike the last location, "A lot of people are going to notice — is that for this new building — there's an upstairs. The other was one floor that had a basement," Van Kirk said.
Van Kirk showed News 5 around the space that he said was nearly two decades in the making.
"Upstairs is where the majority of City Hall offices are housed. The Finance Department, the Economic Development Department, the Land Department, Clerk of Councils, up there as well as the Mayor's office," Van Kirk said.
Council chambers are now located on the first floor and will double as a court for the city.
Windows overhead provide a bird's eye view of the space.
Mayor Van Kirk said the old building was becoming a dated burden, so the upgrades made sense.
"We were at a percentage where it was gonna cost so much more to revitalize the space to make it where it should be that it wasn't worth the cost," Van Kirk said.
Another major part of the project is the police station, which is bigger and more secure, and features a sprawling garage, which is a first for the force.
Before the upgrades, officers were forced to park outside at the old police station.
The life span of cruisers was cut short due to wear and tear over time.
"We designed a garage that accommodates all our marked cruisers to keep the cruisers safe, because these are the guys' offices," said Scott Mielke, Chief of Police for the City of Brooklyn.
The new police station is roughly triple the size. The jail now exceeds state standards. The various rooms for evidence and investigations are up-to-date and feature the latest forms of technology.
Computers and cameras are playing a critical part.
"The video is so important nowadays. Between body camera video, dash cam video. Even evidence we retrieve from crime —we're gonna be able to process it quicker and safer," Mielke said.
The animal shelter has moved to the City Center as well. Before, it was located inside an old house.
Van Kirk said the investment was well worth it.
"It's humbling to see what has happened here. We're thrilled," he said.
The old city hall and police station will be demolished this summer. A new public library will be constructed there.
