Replacing the original Police Department Headquarters, built in the ’60s, the new Palmetto Police Department Headquarters finished construction in the first half of 2023. 

With a very limited budget, through value engineering and proper planning, H. J. High was able to give them a facility that will serve them for generations without breaking their budget.

Located in a coastal community, this hardened facility is designed to withstand the winds of a category 4 hurricane and function as an emergency operations center. The facility includes:

Multipurpose rooms to support training or emergency operations, including a media briefing area

Support for current forensic technology and room for processing and storage of evidence

Housing of a data center to support IT services

Functions as an Emergency Operations Center

H. J. High was the construction manager for the Windermere Police Headquarters and Town Facilities. The project included demolition of the old, dilapidated town facilities building and construction of a new, hardened police headquarters, and secure town facilities to house the government services offices.

Design and presentation of the facility, and preservation of the existing trees was essential to the project. Set in the town square, the design of the facility had to match the feel of the surrounding buildings and maintain the culture of the town.

Designed by Architects Design Group, the new building includes a secure, hardened police station, and secure town facilities joined by a welcoming foyer that connects both sides of the building. An adjacent building houses the Public Works department.

The new Cocoa Beach Police Department headquarters is a state-of-the-art, tilt-wall, hardened facility, designed and built to withstand category five hurricane wind and rains. The new facility will be able to withstand severe storm surge and maintain functions as an Emergency Operations Center. Upgraded infrastructure and communication technologies allow for quicker, more efficient responses and allow the department to new and ever-changing requirements.

The facility includes: public and secured parking, security gates with access control, personal property storage, evidence storage, break and conference rooms, weapons storage, administration offices, and physical agility/defensive tactics room.

The new Boynton Beach Police Department Headquarters is designed to serve the growing community and meet the requirements of an expanding police force. The new Police Department Headquarters includes:

• 60,000 SF, two-story Main Building
• Houses the Chief and Administrative Suite, Administrative Services Bureau
• Vehicle Storage Building for Tactical 
• Booking and Detention Facility
• Physical and Tactical Training Rooms
• Evidence Storage and Crime Labs
• Offices and Locker Rooms

Completed in August of 2020, the new complex is designed to accommodate the growing needs of the Kissimmee Police Department. The 26,000 Sq. Ft., state-of-the-art, single-story complex includes a 20-lane firing range, a Range Master’s office, multiple secure gun cleaning stations, administrative offices, secure entry, classroom and defensive tactics lab, storage as well as an access road.  

The facility also features a five-story, fire training tower for the City of Kissimmee Fire Department. The 3,556 SF fire training facility consists of a pre-engineered structure featuring burn rooms, where temperatures can reach up to 1,200 degrees, repealing rail systems, mock-elevator shaft, moveable interior partition walls, an artificial smoke distribution system and smoke generator, and areas to mimic a residential unit, including an attic.  

Around the fire training facility is an expansive concrete pad reinforced to support the weight of the heaviest fire truck.  A gravel area is also provided for the fire department to practice extraction maneuvers for individuals trapped in vehicles.  

H. J. High Construction served as the design-builder on the Orlando Police Department Headquarters Facility. The new facility, designed by Architects Design Group, is approximately 100,000 square feet and consists of a three-story tilt wall building on an eight acre site. With over 700 sworn officers and 250 support personnel, the new $34 million facility adds much needed operational and training space for the department. The hardened facility is located in the City’s Parramore District and designed to meet the City’s Greenworks initiatives.

You can view progress videos on our YouTube channel by clicking here.

The new Orlando Fire Department Station 11, “The Beast of the East,” is a state-of-the-art, 15,125-square-foot facility located at the corner of Curry Ford Road and Gaston Foster Road. Serving Dover Shores and the surrounding neighborhoods, the station is equipped with the latest technology and designed to accommodate multiple specialized units and equipment.

Home to 33 firefighters, the facility features four bays housing an Engine, a Tower, a Rescue, and a District Chief unit. It is thoughtfully designed to enhance operations, firefighter health, safety, and inclusiveness while ensuring top-rated service, functionality, and rapid response times for the community.

Key features include:

• Escalating emergency tones to reduce fatigue and manage heart-rate response.
• Individual crew bunk rooms and restrooms to support diversity in the workplace.
• A decontamination room with a shower and pressurized airlocks to prevent carcinogens from entering living quarters.
• Acoustic separation between sleeping and active crew quarters for rest, recuperation, and camaraderie.

Adding a unique touch, the station features a comic-style mural honoring Orlando’s public servants—a tribute to the everyday heroes who protect and serve the city’s diverse and vibrant communities.

H. J. High served as the design-builder for the City of Orlando Code Enforcement and Permitting Office with Architects Design Group. The building is suitable to accommodate up to 72 staff members and 10 supervisors. 

The facility has a reception / administration area along with break areas, storage, restrooms, and conference rooms in order to accommodate everyone’s needs.
The conference area has an operable partition wall allowing it to open to the break area for a larger meeting space. 

The Archives Records Warehouse is 15,000 SF and has office space for one staff member and a microfilm storage vault. The warehouse has storage for a 10 year projected growth allowance for 26,000 storage boxes as well as approximately 400 plans boxes. This building is City of Orlando’s first Net-Zero building due to its photovoltaic panels on the roof. 

As the prototype for future City of Orlando Fire Stations, this state-of the-art, 11,8800 SF facility is designed with stringent survivability and safety accommodations. Apparatus bays are separated from the living and working quarters for added safety. A dual airlock system and decontamination room are integrated to prevent exposure to dangerous carcinogens and contaminants. It also includes a Decontamination room with an Active Decon unit and shower. The sleeping quarters and active crew quarters have acoustic separation to allow for much needed rest and recuperation.

The overall floor plan is designed to maximize traffic flow and usability. Aesthetically, the facility is designed to integrate into the community perfectly and stand as a symbol of safety and stability. Aesthetic considerations such as exterior finishes, site lighting, and landscaping are planned to allow greater integration into the surrounding community. 

The new Boynton Beach Fire Station #1 is designed to serve the growing community of Boynton Beach and meet the changing guidelines and standards for fire fighter response and safety concerns.

Conceptually, the building, along with the addition of the DES (District Energy Services) program, serves as a catalyst to invigorate new energy and public safety through the image of the Boynton Beach re-development plan while contributing to the urban fabric of its downtown location 

Diagrammatically, the 14,000 sf “L” shaped station is a two story complex, with apparatus bays and support along the north, station living quarters along the south west and the 6,200 sf attached District Energy Services along the southeast. 

Airlocks and a “walk through” decontamination room allow for the separation of contaminants and clean living areas where the 2 story building meets the 1 story apparatus bays. Living quarters, kitchen, dining and day room are all located on the second level. Windows running along the south exterior wall bring light into the space and help define the colonnade from the exterior. A second floor balcony allows firefighters to have a space to relax in an outdoor environment. 

You can see our feature video here.