With construction of the new Homer Police Station started, city officials will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the building site on Grubstake Avenue.

Cornerstone Construction crews have already begun dirt work at the city lot at the corner of Grubstake Avenue and Heath Street and above the Homer Post Office.

“It’s very exciting to see this happen,” Homer City Manager Katie Koester said in a press release. “… Being able to provide a safe, modern facility suited to the needs of the town is a credit to the Homer community — task force and committee volunteers, City Council members and the people who voted to support it.”

The new police station will replace the current police station on Heath Street, which was converted from a shop/garage in 1978.

“Groundbreaking marks an exciting next step for the Homer Police Department and our service to the Homer community,” said Homer Police Chief Mark Robl.

At 12,8420-square feet, the new station will house all police units including crime lab and evidence storage, dispatch, the community jail, department training space and an emergency operations center. Green infrastructure measures will be used as part of the site development.

The city has been developing the project under a General Contractor/Construction Management agreement with Stantec and Cornerstone Construction. The team has provided architectural design, engineering, construction planning, interiors and building optimization and construction services.

According to the press release, construction is expected to be completed in July of 2020.

“Currently civil site work is underway and the building design has proceeded to the 95% stage, with several practical suggestions incorporated since the Open House in February,” said Project Manager Pat McNary in the press release. “Final plans are scheduled to be completed soon, by the end (of) May.”