Noblesville is getting a major new home base for its police force. Today, city leaders approved plans for a new police headquarters that officials say will top $50 million, clearing the way for a sprawling facility on the long-vacant former Firestone factory site on the south side. The building is designed to be roughly three times the size of the department’s current space and, for the first time, dedicated entirely to police operations instead of sharing with other city services.
Where it will go
The station is planned for the south side of Division Street at the former Firestone plant, listed in reporting as 1700 Division St., on land Bridgestone donated to the city in 2022, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. City renderings and planning documents show the new headquarters rising on an existing concrete slab where the factory once stood, which leaves the rest of the property open for other non-residential uses the city might pursue down the road.
Cost and consolidation
Noblesville Police Chief Brad Arnold told reporters the project will cost more than $50 million to build and said the new headquarters is meant to reunite a department that has been operating out of multiple locations for years. The plan calls for a station roughly triple the size of the current police space, which is now shared with fire administration and the city court, according to WISH-TV. City and department leaders have argued that dedicated space is key if the department is going to keep up with growth and modern policing needs.
Procurement and approvals
The city has been moving through the formal procurement process for months. A public notice and hearing in April documented the Board of Public Works recommendation to award a public-private agreement to GM Development Companies LLC and an affiliate of C.H. Garmong for what is being called the Public Safety Building Project, according to a local public notice. City officials have also flagged the station as a top priority in Noblesville’s 10-year capital improvement plan and listed it among the major capital projects the city intends to advance in 2026, according to City of Noblesville news releases.
Environmental legacy of the site
The former Firestone property comes with a hefty industrial backstory. Federal records and local reporting note that the U.S. EPA documented thousands of barrels of hazardous waste left on part of the larger parcel, and that restrictions remain in place on residential uses where contamination was found. The Indianapolis Business Journal reported that about 7,700 barrels are buried on roughly 17 acres of the 70-acre property, and that the police headquarters is planned for an area that has been cleared or otherwise judged suitable for commercial or industrial use.
Why the move matters
City leaders say the project is about catching up with reality on the ground. Noblesville’s population has climbed from roughly 20,000 residents in 1992 to the mid-70,000s today, and the police department now fields more than 100 sworn officers. The current 32-year-old facility was built when the city was far smaller, and officials say the cramped, shared building limits training space, evidence storage and room for specialized units. That squeeze has been a central argument for a standalone headquarters, according to local reporting and city planning materials. You Are Current has outlined the department’s needs and how the new complex fits into broader city development plans.
What’s next
City officials told reporters they are targeting a groundbreaking in fall 2026. They estimate construction will take roughly 18 to 24 months, with the building coming online in phases as interior work and staffing catch up. Design work and contractor coordination are continuing through the Board of Public Works and the public procurement process, and proposal documents are available for public inspection at City Hall, according to public notices. The projected construction timeline and next administrative steps were detailed by The Times.
