The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with Sarasota County Government, is celebrating the start of construction on a new Support Services Facility.

 

On Monday, July 8 beginning at 9:00 a.m., the public is invited to attend an official groundbreaking ceremony being hosted on the site of the support services campus, located at 16501 Honore Avenue in Nokomis. Upon completion, the facility will house the agency’s fleet services and radio maintenance sections, along with vehicle and property storage; all services currently housed on Old Venice Road in Osprey.

 

The main 42,650-square-foot building, which is designed to withstand wind speeds of 160 mph, will include 12 maintenance bays, six radio shop bays, administrative areas, and a combination training/breakroom. The 13,764-square-foot, fully enclosed, ancillary vehicle storage building will be used to store specialty vehicles, and the 11,551-square-foot property storage area will be enclosed by chain-link fencing and covered by a metal roof. The project was approved by the Sarasota County Commission in 2017 and is expected to be completed by late 2020.

 

“We are extremely excited to finally break ground on this facility,” commented Sheriff Tom Knight. “I can recall the concern we felt during Hurricane Irma when our vehicles and equipment were exposed to the elements. I now feel confident knowing that with a safer and sturdier facility, we will be able to even better protect and maintain the equipment that services residents and visitors of Sarasota County, especially during times of crisis and disaster.”

 

During Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony, attendees are asked to park in the adjacent lot located across Laurel Road, due to limited access to the construction site as well as rough terrain. Golf cart transportation and refreshments will be provided.