Published: March 24, 2008 11:12 pm      

Somerset police moving into former pizza shop

SOMERSET — A former pizza shop will be the temporary home of the Somerset Police Department.

Police will move into the former Papa Johns in the 300 block of West Main Street in May.

It is a temporary move during a $1.3 million renovation of the Municipal Building.

Police Chief Randy Cox said he narrowed the search for temporary quarters to four or five unnamed locations, but selected the former pizza parlor after the owner accepted a $1,500 per month counteroffer. The owner had wanted $2,000 a month rent, he said.

Although Cox said the building offers 2,000 square feet, the logistics of moving evidence, computers and other equipment remains a concern.

“Property and evidence are our biggest concerns,” he said. “Given that it’s just temporary, we’ll make do.”

Renovations to transform the current Municipal Building into a Public Safety Building shared by police and fire departments will begin in June. The work should be completed for police to move back in September.

Borough officials are relocating administrative offices into a new building across West Union Street.