135 King Street | Revised Police-Only ProjectA smaller plan.
A clearer path.
The Public Safety Facilities Committee completed an alternatives review, reduced the King Street concept, and advanced a police-only proposal for consideration at the October 26, 2026 Special Town Meeting.
Residents will consider the revised police-station funding request.
19,246 SF
Revised police-only program
−4,364 SF
Reduction from the May design
$20.9M
Current Town Meeting funding request
47
Parking spaces retained after alternatives review
CURRENT PROJECT135 King Street: Compare the existing building to the proposed revisions to the police station.
Existing Building
135 King Street today
The Town-owned building is the proposed location for the revised police-only facility.
Revised concept
Police-only design
The revised concept removes the future Fire shell and tightens the police program while retaining core operational spaces.
The revised project is materially different from what was proposed in May 2026.
The Committee reduced building area, removed the future Fire shell, tested garage and parking alternatives, and returned with a lower Town Meeting request.
WHAT CHANGED SINCE MAY
May design: larger concept that included future Fire shell space.
CHARGE → STUDY → FINDINGS→ DIRECTIONHow the Committee reached the current proposal.
Updated Select Board charge
The PSFC was directed to conduct an alternatives analysis and reduce the scope of the 135 King Street concept.
Alternative sites studied
The Committee reviewed alternative locations and previously identified sites for a public safety facility.
Elm Street combined option studied
The Committee examined whether Police and Fire could be accommodated together at the 44–62 Elm Street campus.
Alternatives narrowed
The Committee determined that the alternative sites were not feasible and that Police and Fire could not both fit at Elm Street.
Separate facility direction
The Select Board directed continued work on 135 King Street for Police and 44–62 Elm Street for Fire.
Scope tested and reduced
Garage, parking, floor plan and Fire-shell options were reviewed over multiple PSFC meetings.
September 8 presentation
The revised 19,246-square-foot, $20.9 million police-only proposal was presented to the Select Board.
Town Meeting preparation
The full project presentation is being prepared for the October 26, 2026 Special Town Meeting.
Police and Fire are now being planned separately.
TWO DEPARTMENT - TWO PATHSPolice — 135 King Street
- Police-only project.
- 19,246-square-foot revised program.
- $20.9 million Town Meeting funding request.
- Core functions for detention, booking, evidence, training, vehicle processing, and staff were retained.
- 47 parking spaces retained after multiple site alternatives were reviewed.
Fire — 44–62 Elm Street
- Fire facility planning remains focused on the existing Elm Street campus.
- The Fire Station remodel is planned to begin after Police relocates to 135 King Street, anticipated around 2028.
- Improvements are planned as phased or “piecemeal” capital projects, with critical infrastructure and life-safety needs first.
- The current funding plan uses the standing municipal budget and Capital Budget process without a separate debt-exclusion override.
A separate, phased plan for the Cohasset Fire Station.
The current plan is to begin remodeling and upgrading the Elm Street Fire Station after the Police Department relocates to the new police station at 135 King Street. That transition is anticipated to occur sometime around 2028.
FIRE DEPARTMENT ELM STREETImprove Elm Street through the regular municipal capital process.
The Fire Station remodel is planned to be funded through the Town's standing municipal budget and Capital Budget process. Under the current plan, a separate debt-exclusion override would not be needed to fund these renovations and upgrades.
Phased construction
Rather than undertaking one large reconstruction project, improvements would be completed piecemeal over time as capital funds are appropriated.
Existing Elm Street campus
The Fire Department would remain centered at the 44–62 Elm Street campus, with renovation work focused on the existing Fire Station.
Regular budget process
Projects would move through the Town's normal municipal operating and Capital Budget review process rather than a separate debt-exclusion funding program.
Critical needs first
Infrastructure and life-safety needs would receive first priority so the most important building deficiencies are addressed before lower-priority improvements.
Initial priority areas
HVAC
Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems and related building infrastructure.
Plumbing
Necessary plumbing repairs, upgrades and reliability improvements.
Life safety
Safety-related building conditions and critical infrastructure addressed first.
This is what will be retained.
PLANS AND SITE EVIDENCE
Recommended floor plan
The reduced program retains specialized police-station functions, including detention and booking, evidence handling, training/operations space, staff support, and vehicle processing. View the full floor plan here.
Parking and circulation
The Committee reviewed six parking alternatives before retaining the 47-space layout as the recommended operational and cost balance.
A simple decision roadmap.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXTPSFC Review
Alternatives, scope, parking, garage, and design options.
Sept. 8
Select Board presentation and authorization to advance the revised proposal.
Oct. 26
Special Town Meeting consideration of the $20.9M funding request.
Ballot step
If required approvals are obtained, the debt-exclusion question proceeds to voters.
Planned Special Election: December 5, 2026
Use the final Town Clerk posting and ballot language on the production website once officially published.
PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES COMMITTEECommittee members
The Committee includes appointed members together with ex officio representatives from Police, Fire, municipal finance committees and the employee unions.
Committee Members
Ex Officio Members
Explore background documents and resources leaders used to inform this recommendation.
DOCUMENTS AND PUBLIC RECORDUpdated PSFC Charge
The Select Board's June 2026 direction for the alternatives analysis and revised King Street scope.
Sept. 8 King Street Revisions
The Town-posted presentation shows garage, parking, fire-shell, and design reductions.
Committee Agendas & Minutes
Track PSFC and Select Board meetings, votes and supporting documents.
Committee Charge
An overview of what the committee is charged with doing.
Facilities Committee Newsletter 5.
Town officials, public safety staff, and project consultants state that the current Elm Street.
Facilities Working Group
Land Considerations supporting documents.
Cohasset-Run Time Study
Staffing, Workload Complexity, Facilities and Community Demand.
Police Defensible Benchmark Study
JB Consulting Group Strategic Response Analysis for Fire & EMS.