On June 14, Wharton-Smith joined Tavares city officials and nearly 300 guests in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their brand new Public Safety Complex, which will house the fire and police departments and serve as the local Emergency Operations Center. See more photos and check out the scoop in the Orlando Sentinel.

In honor of the new $13.4 million facility, U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster presented the city with an American flag that had flown over the Capitol on Memorial Day.

Fire Chief Richard Keith thanked the architect, GatorSktch Corporation of Clermont and general contractor, Wharton-Smith. The project has been in the works for more than a decade. “We’ve been working with the architects for eight years, we’ve been working with construction professionals for four years, so to see it come to this point now is just an amazing process and we’re very proud,” Chief Keith said.

Police Chief Stoney Lubins lauded the timing of the celebration because it fell on the centennial anniversary of the Tavares Police Department.

Wharton-Smith provided General Contracting services on the 38,527-square-foot Complex. The Fire Station features four drive through apparatus bays, a day room with kitchen and dining, and second floor bunk and shower rooms. The Police Station includes a sally-port, fitness center and locker rooms shared with the fire department, administration offices, patrol room, detective unit, interrogation rooms, criminal investigation lab, indoor shooting range, and evidence and records storage. The Emergency Operations Center has a community meeting room and a command center with overnight accommodations.

Congratulations to the project team of Rick Bundy, Mike Morton, Darrell Johnson, John Janes, Jared Parkman, Jason Anderson, Rick Romoser, Kerry Smalls, Darren Ambrosi, Debbie Garrett, Matt Kugelman, Ben Childers, Jessica McCrary and Andy Duthie.