Public Safety Facilities

The aging South Portland Central Fire Station and the South Portland Police Station have major facilities issues that must be addressed. These include building code non-compliance, ADA non-compliance, safety issues like inadequate fire alarm and sprinkler systems, space and programming limitations, significant MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) problems, regular water intrusion and damage, and many more (see the "Background" section below for a link to a study detailing the deficiencies in these facilities). 

The City Council has instructed the City to pursue renovating Central Fire Station at its current location on Broadway and a new Police Station to be build on the Mahoney property as part of the facilities renovation project. Voters will determine if the project moves forward at a future referendum vote, tentatively planned for November 2026.

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Upcoming Events

Central Fire Station Conversation 1-5-26

Join us Monday, January 5, 2026, from 5:30 to 7 PM at the Cash Corner Fire Station (use rear entrance) for a conversation about the proposed new Central Fire Station. Enjoy snacks and refreshments, hear a short presentation from the Fire Chief and design team, and ask your questions about the proposed design for the new Central Fire Station. 

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Fire Station

Visit the FAQ to learn why an entirely new Central Fire Station is proposed to be built at its current location on Broadway. The FAQ item addresses the choice of location, design and safety considerations, the decision to build new, building for long-term environmental resilience, and how the history of the original station may be incorporated into the design.

Police Station

On June 12, 2025, the City Council instructed the City to pursue building a new police station on the Mahoney property. It would be built on the current field.

The City Council decided on the location of the proposed new Police Station after months of public discussion in 2024-2025. They selected the Mahoney property as the location at their June 17, 2025 meeting. Learn more about the site selection process.

The primary reasons the Mahoney site was selected are:

  • It has enough space for the new station
  • It does not require the purchase of new land
  • Its prominent location supports PD’s community-centered goals to build greater trust, transparency and partnerships to proactively reduce crime
  • This plan avoids needing to temporarily relocate the Police Department during an extensive reconstruction of the current site (a very costly and challenging endeavor)
  • The plan enables Central Fire Station to be rebuilt on the current public safety site with the building and drive aprons oriented to improve safety and access

The City Council's decision aligns with the recommendation of the City's former ad-hoc Facilities Committee, the Owner's Representative helping to lead the facilities renovation project, and the design team, which engaged experts in public safety design prior to their recommendation. City Council engaged in months of discussion before making the decision to build a new police station on the field at Mahoney and systematic reviews and assessments of all of the available options were conducted. You can see these here:

Watch the June 12, 2025 City Council meeting video to learn why, in carefully considering the information, the City Council voted unanimously in support of the current Mahoney field as the location for the new police station (discussion begins at 11:48). Read the June 25, 2025 news flash update to hear from the Mayor and City staff on the need for and location of the new police station, plus the vision for the future including outdoor space at Mahoney. 

Background

The 2021 Central Fire & Police Station Facilities Study (PDF) is a comprehensive look at the buildings that included an architectural, structural, plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, heating, and ventilation assessments along with a review of the general site conditions, existing and future needs. 

Please note: This study was conducted prior to the Mahoney property coming into the City's possession. Therefore, Mahoney is not taken into consideration as a potential location for the Police Station. Please also note that as construction and materials costs have risen significantly since 2021, the cost estimates in this report are out of date.

For information about the Mahoney City Center, the new civic and cultural hub that is planned to consolidated many City offices, visit the Mahoney Reimagined page.