The Virginia State Police will soon begin driver training in a new $27.4 million complex set on 680 acres near Fort Pickett, just outside the town of Blackstone. Designed by Dewberry and constructed by KBS Inc., the facility includes 4.5 miles of urban, rural, and interstate roadway courses that simulate Virginia topography; a three-story, 52,000-sf training and dormitory building; an observation tower; and a vehicle maintenance garage.
The new training tracks feature a variety of road configurations, including a cloverleaf ramp, city intersections, interstate acceleration lanes, a roundabout, railroad tracks, a 25,000-sf skidpan, cul-de-sacs, and a 342,000-sf precision-driving course. The facility enables the police to combine behind-the-wheel training with simulations and classroom instruction at one site.
The training building includes 60 squad rooms that accommodate up to 120 cadets, theater-style classrooms, a cafeteria, offices, meeting space, and a driver simulation room with 550 LE Interactive Driving Simulation Systems that model the cockpit of a police cruiser.
Construction of a new firing range is set to begin this spring. The building was also designed to serve as an alternate emergency operations center for the Virginia State Police.
Design of the building combines brick, precast architectural block, and glass curtainwall. “The architecture reflects the modern, state-of-the-art training approach provided by the Virginia State Police, with a streamlined academic aesthetic in the materials and vertical elements,” says Larry Hasson, AIA, who led the architectural design team for Dewberry. In addition to architecture, Dewberry provided interior design and mechanical/electrical, structural, civil, and environmental engineering. +
Related Stories
Government Buildings | Jul 13, 2023
The recently opened U.S. Embassy in Ankara reflects U.S. values while honoring Turkish architecture
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has recently opened the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. The design by Ennead Architects aims to balance transparency and openness with security, according to a press statement. The design also seeks both to honor Turkey’s architectural traditions and to meet OBO’s goals of sustainability, resiliency, and stewardship.
Green | Jun 26, 2023
Federal government will spend $30 million on novel green building technologies
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the sustainability of federal buildings by testing novel technologies. The vehicle for that effort, the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, will invest in American-made technologies to help increase federal electric vehicle supply equipment, protect air quality, reduce climate pollution, and enhance building performance.
Government Buildings | Jun 16, 2023
A police station in Boston attempts to bridge the divide separating law enforcement and the public
An investment in workers and residents, the new building is also more efficient and sustainable.
Engineers | Jun 14, 2023
The high cost of low maintenance
Walter P Moore’s Javier Balma, PhD, PE, SE, and Webb Wright, PE, identify the primary causes of engineering failures, define proactive versus reactive maintenance, recognize the reasons for deferred maintenance, and identify the financial and safety risks related to deferred maintenance.
Government Buildings | May 18, 2023
GSA launches first biennial construction award program
Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the new biennial GSA Construction Award program, which is seeking submissions this summer. The program was created to honor outstanding achievements in construction, with a focus on quality and craftsmanship, collaboration and team dynamics, sustainability, innovation, and technology. The first Construction Awards ceremony will take place in 2024.
Mass Timber | May 1, 2023
SOM designs mass timber climate solutions center on Governors Island, anchored by Stony Brook University
Governors Island in New York Harbor will be home to a new climate-solutions center called The New York Climate Exchange. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), The Exchange will develop and deploy solutions to the global climate crisis while also acting as a regional hub for the green economy. New York’s Stony Brook University will serve as the center’s anchor institution.
Urban Planning | Apr 12, 2023
Watch: Trends in urban design for 2023, with James Corner Field Operations
Isabel Castilla, a Principal Designer with the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, discusses recent changes in clients' priorities about urban design, with a focus on her firm's recent projects.
Market Data | Apr 11, 2023
Construction crane count reaches all-time high in Q1 2023
Toronto, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver top the list of U.S/Canadian cities with the greatest number of fixed cranes on construction sites, according to Rider Levett Bucknall's RLB Crane Index for North America for Q1 2023.
Contractors | Apr 10, 2023
What makes prefabrication work? Factors every construction project should consider
There are many factors requiring careful consideration when determining whether a project is a good fit for prefabrication. JE Dunn’s Brian Burkett breaks down the most important considerations.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
New tool from Perkins&Will will make public health data more accessible to designers and architects
Called PRECEDE, the dashboard is an open-source tool developed by Perkins&Will that draws on federal data to identify and assess community health priorities within the U.S. by location. The firm was recently awarded a $30,000 ASID Foundation Grant to enhance the tool.
