The 720,000-sq-ft academy for the New York City Police Dept. in College Point, N.Y., was built to replace the police department’s aging and inefficient training and educational buildings spread out over New York City. The new facility unites all of the NYPD’s training resources at one large complex, and can hold up to 2,000 recruits. The academy also offers instruction to law enforcement from throughout the U.S. and abroad.

The police academy includes a 350,000-sq-ft academic building with multiple classrooms, library space and administrative and faculty offices. The site’s other features include a 240,000-sq-ft physical training facility with a running track and a special tactical gymnasium, a central utility plant, a campus parking area and a muster court where cadets gather for roll call and other activities.

The large size of the academy posed a unique challenge to the project team, which included 65 prime subcontractors as well as 300 second-tier contractors. The client, design and construction management teams were integrated in one location, allowing the groups to communicate easily with one another. Another tool used to ensure the project went smoothly was building information modeling (BIM) software; the technology was used to identify clashes among piping, structural members, ductwork and electrical conduits.

The project team was able to lower steel material weights and costs by using cellular beams in the physical training facility. Piping and ductwork were routed through the opening in the beams and all mechanical systems were embedded higher in the ceiling, which allowed for a more open space.

The new academy was built on a former landfill 14 miles outside of midtown Manhattan and is seeking LEED Silver certification. It has been occupied since the fall of 2014 and graduated its first class of cadets in May of this year.

New York City Police Training Academy

College Point, N.Y.

Key Players
Owner/Developer New York City Dept. of Design and Construction
General Contractor/Construction Manager Turner Construction/STV Joint Venture
Lead Design Firm Perkins + Will
Structural Engineer Silman Associates with Guy Nordenson
Civil Engineer Langan Engineering
MEP Engineer WSP Flack + Kurtz