Old police station comes down, new building to rise

On Monday, demolition of the old police station on North Front Street began, marking the start of Cape Fear Community College’s new project, Union Station. The old building was built in the mid-1940s and most recently served as a police station until the department moved its headquarters to Bess Street in spring 2007.

The demolition is planned to last throughout the week, said David Hardin, spokesman for Cape Fear Community College.

The new Union Station will house Cape Fear Community College’s expanded classrooms, specifically in health sciences, which will include a simulation hospital setting. The projected cost of this building is $57.9 million and is the first project that was funded by the 2008 $164 million bond referendum. The 230,000-square foot building will house the community college’s administration, financial aid, registration, and career counseling services. Groundbreaking is scheduled for early 2010 with completion set for early 2012.

The college has not opened the construction bidding process yet. However, their Board of Trustees recently passed a resolution to support hiring a local firm in order to contribute to the generation of revenue within Wilmington, Hardin said.

The name Union Station is inspired by the Atlantic Coastline Railroad, whose depot was where the new building will stand. The college plans to create a pedestrian green space with an outdoor amphitheater behind Union Station. And, the former coach carpenter shop there will become an educational display with help from the Wilmington Railroad Museum, Hardin said.