Chief Kenneth Lewis estimates the new facility will be done in May.
Fabrizio Gowdy
Gadsden County News Service
Havana’s new $1.1 million public safety complex is on track to be completed sometime in May according to Havana Police Department Chief Kenneth Lewis, well ahead of the estimated August completion date announced when construction commenced.
“We are very excited and proud of this new facility,” said Lewis.
The current police station on 7th Avenue dates back to the 1940s and originally served as the town hall. The new public safety complex will also be located downtown and will house both the police fire departments as well as dispatch.
The new building will be larger at 2,800 square feet, meaning more office and lobby space. It will also be up to code, feature new technologies, and include an improved dispatch center to allow for better communication with staff and citizens.
Ground broke on the new facility in July 2025 after the town received $1 million in funding from the legislature for the project. The remaining $100,000 cost will be financed with a loan, which the town council unanimously voted to approve at its Jan. 27 meeting.
At that meeting, Councilman Matt Wesolowski suggested the $1.1 million price tag for the new structure seemed high to him given the size of the building. However, Councilman Howard McKinnon countered that considering the high price of construction materials and labor, the cost was reasonable.
A precise completion date has not been set.
