PPD Could Be Changing Plans for Headquarters Move

The Philadelphia Police Department has long been planning a move in its headquarters. The current headquarters, known un-affectionately as “The Roundhouse,” has been plagued with fleas and other complaints for years. The location, at 7th and Race, does put it close to the Criminal Justice Center, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. That convenience is pretty much the only thing the Roundhouse has going for it.

This is an artist’s rendering of what the new PPD headquarters would look like in West Philly – but reports say that Mayor Kenney is reconsidering the move.

Under former Mayor Michael Nutter, the PPD made plans to move to West Philly, into the Provident Mutual Insurance Building at 46th and Market streets. Things went far enough that there was a ground-breaking ceremony on the project back in 2014. Plans were made for the 13-acre plot, which was to be known as the Public Safety Services Campus and would, in addition to the Police Department, house the Department of Public Health and the Medical Examiner’s Office. The project was budgeted at $250 million, the funds for which were to be raised thanks to two bills by City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell.

Now, there’s a new mayor – and maybe a new plan for the Police Department. Mayor Jim Kenney is said, as per Philadelphia Magazine, to be looking at the former home of the Inquirer and Daily News, located at 400 N. Broad Street. The building is both enormous and empty. It is also closer to the courts, City Hall, and the highways than is the Provident building. It has sat empty since developer Bart Blatstein purchased it in 2011 for a reported $21 million.

The Mayor himself won’t comment on the speculation, releasing a statement through his spokesperson that: “The Kenney administration is in the midst of a thorough review of plans developed by the previous administration to relocate Police Headquarters and the Medical Examiner’s Office to 4601 Market Street. This is due diligence given the scope and anticipated cost of the entire project.” The statement goes on to cite responsibility to taxpayers as reason for looking carefully at the project.