Growing Colorado City Opens New $36 Million Justice Center

The Lone Tree Justice Center in Colorado will house police and court operations in a new 37,324-square-foot facility. | Photo Credit: City of Lone Tree

• The city of Lone Tree, Colo., opened a $36 million, 37,324-square-foot Justice Center designed to consolidate police and municipal court services and accommodate the city’s growth.
• Expanded operational space supports court proceedings, police training and emergency response, including a community room that can serve as an emergency operations center.
• Anderson Mason Dale Architects designed the facility, FCI Constructors, Inc., served as the contractor and Artaic Group provided project management services.

LONE TREE, Colo. — The city of Lone Tree, Colo., has opened a new Justice Center that brings police and municipal court services together in a facility designed to accommodate the growing city’s public safety needs, with expanded space for law enforcement, legal proceedings and community programs.

Officials celebrated the project’s completion with a Sept. 8 ribbon cutting, ahead of its Sept. 14 public opening. The city identified improved efficiency, accessibility and security as central goals of the project.

The $36 million project was financed through certificates of participation, CBS Colorado reported. Anderson Mason Dale Architects designed the center, with FCI Constructors, Inc., serving as construction manager and Artaic Group providing project management services.

The new facility will serve as the headquarters for the Lone Tree Police Department, which has tripled in size since being created just 21 years ago, according to CBS Colorado. The Department previously shared a 13,000-square-foot municipal building.

For court operations, the project provides additional space for proceedings and administrative functions as demand for municipal services increases. Court sessions will move from the Lone Tree Civic Center, located in a residential neighborhood, to the new facility. The facility also includes new interview rooms, a temporary evidence storage and processing area and a fitness center.

The 37,324-square-foot building’s design combines operational improvements with outdoor public spaces and environmental features. A 2,900-square-foot solar canopy and a demonstration garden featuring native, water-efficient landscaping complement a pavilion-style design intended to fit the surrounding grassland. Public areas and staff workspaces also receive substantial natural daylight, according to the city.

The building occupies a 10.8-acre site, with infrastructure that includes a stormwater detention pond designed to accommodate future regional development.

Lone Tree Police Chief Kirk Wilson told Denver7 that the facility represents a major step for a department. He highlighted a community room that can function as an emergency operations center, space for on-site training and a gym for officers. Wilson said the improved work environment could support recruitment and retention while giving personnel resources to stay fit and prepared for their responsibilities.

Lone Tree Mayor Marissa Harmon also emphasized the building’s role in supporting employees who face demanding and stressful work, while describing the investment as a resource for the broader community. “We built this new justice center for the city of Lone Tree, our residents, our visitors and our future,” Harmon told Denver7.

The new Justice Center is located within the RidgeGate development, a 2,000-acre mixed-use development that is expected to triple Lone Tree’s population once complete, according to the city’s strategic plan.

The Justice Center is one of two major municipal facility investments intended to support Lone Tree’s current and future service needs. The city’s new Public Works facility opened in August, and nearby High Note Park remained under construction when the city announced the Justice Center opening.

The first municipal court session in the new building is scheduled for Oct. 8; court sessions before that date will continue at the Civic Center.

This article is based on reporting by Olivia Young for CBS Colorado published Oct. 8; and reporting from Tyler Melito for Denver7 published Oct. 8; with additional project information provided by the City of Lone Tree.