WILLIAMSBURG, Va.—When the Williamsburg Police Department opened its previous station nearly half a century ago, the city looked very different. The community was smaller, policing needs were simpler, and the idea of a “modern” public safety facility meant fluorescent lights and a few extra filing cabinets. Today, Williamsburg’s newly opened police headquarters on Lafayette Street represents a dramatic leap forward—one that blends community connection, officer wellness, and 21st‑century operational design.
The city officially cut the ribbon on the new facility this month, welcoming residents inside for the first time. The building, designed by Moseley and constructed by Henderson Inc., replaces the aging Armistead Avenue station with a purpose‑built, 43,400‑square‑foot complex tailored to the evolving needs of both officers and the public they serve.
“This building is a promise of safety, service, partnership, and trust,” said Citizen Advisory Committee Chair Malika Blume during the ceremony, capturing the spirit of a project that has been years in the making.
A Facility Built for Today’s Policing—and Tomorrow’s
The new headquarters is more than a replacement; it’s a reimagining. Inside, visitors find a spacious community room designed for public meetings and outreach events—an intentional move to make the department more accessible and transparent. Private reporting rooms offer a quiet, trauma‑informed space for victims and families, while multiple interview rooms support modern investigative work.
Behind the scenes, the building includes a secure sally port for detainee transfer, a state‑of‑the‑art evidence and property facility, and a carefully planned operational flow that improves safety and efficiency. Officer wellness, a growing priority in public safety design, is supported through dedicated fitness and decompression spaces.
Police Chief Sean Dunn praised the design team for creating a facility “truly built around the department’s needs,” noting that the building supports both the human and technical demands of contemporary policing.
The Team Behind the Transformation
The project reflects the combined expertise of two Virginia‑based powerhouses in civic design and construction.
Moseley, known for its extensive portfolio of public safety, education, and civic buildings across the Mid‑Atlantic, brought its deep experience in community‑centered design. The firm has increasingly emphasized environments that support officer wellness, public engagement, and operational resilience—principles clearly visible throughout the Williamsburg station.
On the construction side, Henderson Inc., a Williamsburg‑area firm with more than 60 years of experience, delivered the project through a design‑build partnership. Henderson’s reputation for complex civic and institutional projects made it a natural fit for a facility requiring both precision and durability.
The collaboration moved swiftly: after a beam‑signing ceremony in July 2024 marked the completion of the structural phase, the project advanced steadily toward its 2026 opening. The final cost is estimated at $19.2 million, a significant investment in the city’s long‑term public safety infrastructure.
A Community Milestone
For Williamsburg, the new police headquarters is more than a building—it’s a civic milestone. Mayor Douglas Pons called the opening “a major step forward for our city,” emphasizing the importance of a facility that supports both community trust and officer readiness.
As residents toured the new space during the ribbon‑cutting, the message was clear: this is a police station designed not just for the next few years, but for the next generation.
