BUTLER TOWNSHIP -- Butler Township is set to get a new municipal building next year.
The township's municipal building on West Butler Drive in Drums was built in 1987. It's home to the township's police department and administrative offices. In the building's 30 years, the township's police department has grown from having one full-time police officer to having 11.
"We have very limited space available for files, records and so forth, so we are basically elbow to elbow," Butler Township Police Chief Brian Sabatini said.
The township just broke ground on the new building it will be located on Corporate Drive in Drums. It will cost about $4,000,000. The project will not raise taxes.
"(The project has) been a long process," Butler Township Manager Maryanne Petrila said. "Probably 15 years in the works."
The new building is about four miles away from the old one. People in the community said the new location is better because it is closer to the main highways.
"I think it would be a better location being more on 309 than where it is located now," Vannessa Pinheiro of Drums said. "(It will be) easier for them to get to where most of the accidents are."
In the new space, the police department will be all on one level, will have more space and will have upgrades that will make it safer for the officers to work there.
"Back in the 70s and 80s, this was all little farm community but it's certainly has grown exponentially," Petrilla said. "As a result, we have to move on with the growth."
Construction on the building is expected to be completed by February of 2018.