On November 6, Miller Valentine Construction broke ground on a 58,500-square-foot center for city services and recreation in Trenton. The structure—which will house city administrative offices, the police department, and a new YMCA—will anchor Trenton Square, a new 110-acre mixed-use development.
This project represents one of the city’s most substantial capital improvements in recent years, following the successful completion of the fire station in 2019. But bringing three distinct occupants with different needs, priorities, and timelines under one roof required some creative problem-solving—including a live-fire ballistics test at the police department’s shooting range.
Three Clients, Three Visions, One Building
The November groundbreaking followed nearly a year of close partnership between the Miller Valentine project team, design partners Elevar Design Group and Brandstetter Carroll Inc., and the clients.
“The process essentially required the team to develop three distinct scopes for three clients with different needs, goals, and priorities,” noted Project Manager Kassie Holmes. “We served as the hub, asking the right questions and overseeing the entire process to make sure there were no holes and all the details were captured.”
As a public entity, the city needed to stay within tight budget constraints. For the YMCA, completion by early 2027 to capitalize on the New Year’s resolution crowd was a primary driver. And the police department had specific requirements that went far beyond standard office space.
Balancing those needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility required extensive collaboration. The project team underwent multiple reviews with the clients to develop a list of value engineering options that would align their vision and priorities with the budget. The result is a steel-frame structure with soaring atriums, plenty of daylighting, and a sleek, modern feel.
According to Senior Project Manager Dave Settles, “It was a team effort that was very collaborative and got the project to where we need to be in terms of appearance, functionality, and cost.”
Tailoring Solutions to Specialized Needs
The city offices will occupy 15,500 square feet across two floors, providing much-needed room to expand. The new space will also offer upgraded technology and collaborative work areas.
Housing the police department in the same building will create efficiencies between safety and administrative staff, but the 10,000-square-foot space needed to meet a much different standard. The department required a storm shelter, a dispatch center with backup generator capabilities, and a detention center with separate areas for adult and juvenile detainees.
Then there was the question of ballistic protection.
“The materials we were considering did not have published ballistic ratings, so we worked with the manufacturers and the safety department to develop our own analysis,” said Dave.
The project team arranged for a precast panel and a masonry block to be delivered to the department’s shooting range. Members of the force then tested four types of weapons against the materials to ensure they could provide the proper level of protection in the real world.
“That was one of the more unique factors we’ve considered on a project,” Dave noted. The testing not only provided certainty for Trenton’s police department but also generated valuable data for the manufacturers for future projects.
The facility’s remaining 33,000 square feet will establish the YMCA’s first presence in the community. The family-oriented space will feature a 25-yard pool with three lap lanes, a water slide, and a zero-entry area for young children and accessibility. An elevated running track that circles the interior will serve as a major draw for members.
Setting the Standard
The facility is the first to be built in Trenton Square, which has required ongoing coordination with the three developers of the site. The project team had to plan for utilities, access roads, and construction logistics on a site where roads don’t yet exist and further development is imminent.
“We are always focused on safety, on protecting the environment around our jobsites, and on being a good neighbor to surrounding communities,” said Settles. “The city is very focused on keeping all their residents happy, which shifts the responsibility to us to operate in a way that reflects well on the client.”
The project is expected to be completed in early 2027—just in time for residents who have resolved to adopt a healthier lifestyle in the new year. For the city of Trenton, the project represents more than upgraded offices and modern amenities. It’s a statement about the future of this rapidly expanding community.