LEWISTON — The Lewiston Police Department plans to be operating entirely out of its new headquarters at Bates Mill No. 7 sometime in early 2024, according to Chief David St. Pierre.

During a City Council meeting Tuesday, St. Pierre said the department is working with building owner Tom Platz to secure vendors and contractors for the work to “up-fit” the space into a modern police station. He said despite a lot of work to do, the initial hope is to move in “shortly after January 2024.”

Built in 1880, the four-story, 48,000-square-foot Bates Mill No. 7 is at 140 Mill St.

It was vacated by TD Bank in 2020, and last year city officials approved a lease agreement for the Police Department to relocate to the space. Officials argued the move was a more cost effective alternative to building a new headquarters after a previous study listed the price tag for building new or renovating at more than $30 million.

As of last year, the estimated cost of redeveloping the Mill No. 7 space was $12 million, with a $420,000 annual rent. After year six of the lease, the city would have the option to purchase the building.

TD Bank vacated Bates Mill No. 7, foreground, in 2020. It will be the home of the Lewiston Police Department sometime in 2024. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal file

On Tuesday, the council signed off on the purchase of security cameras and access controls for the new headquarters with the use of $474,000 in drug forfeiture funds. A city memo said there is an expected six- to eight-month lead time for the parts.

“As you can imagine, there is a lot of work to do on a project like this,” St. Pierre said Wednesday. “We are hoping the progress continues and our move-in date will remain on track or in that vicinity of time originally anticipated. As with any construction and planning, there are typically unexpected delays and supply chain issues that could arise.”

He said while some work has begun on the interior of the building, “it is still early to see much of a difference.”

A study commissioned in 2020 identified several major issues with the department’s current headquarters at 171 Park St., which was built in 1986. The report said the building has outdated systems, poor ventilation, inadequate space and a lack of appropriate accommodations for female officers.