The building, originally built in the 1960s, will now become the police department and municipal offices.
The building on Main Street in Frostburg, Maryland, was not one that turned heads. It was best described as “utilitarian.” With concrete floors, cinder block walls, and a brick exterior, it served its purpose of housing the Frostburg Police Department, but it did little to inspire the town nestled at the head of the Georges Creek Valley in Allegany County.
It’s a fairly large building for the small city — stretching an entire block across two city streets. When Architectural Designer Ralph Muenstermann looked at the building, he saw the potential for it to not just house a police department and several offices, but for it to shine in a small community.
When the City of Frostburg approached Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects in 2016, they needed a building with a bit more room. While the police department was currently in the building, City offices had been in another location. They hoped to combine the two, as they had been years before, but the current building didn’t have the space.
“It was a great opportunity to look at the structure and ask, how could it be used better?” Muenstermann says. “We didn’t want to tear it down.”
Updates and additions
There were a few things the City had on its wish list. The first was a separate entrance for the police department, so that people coming in for City business could head to the administrative municipal offices while police personnel could have their own dedicated way in and out of the building.
Frostburg also needed a larger space for public meetings and community gatherings. The current space in the old municipal building only held 60 people. The newly renovated building, which has three levels, also needed to be accessible.
While Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects was determined to improve the functionality of the space for its occupants, there was also an opportunity to add some inspiration and a new visual identity to the design.
Beyond the checklist
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects created a design that checked off all the things on Frostburg’s list. The concrete cell core used by the police department was untouched, but the rest of the building was gutted to the steel beams. With nothing but a brick shell and roof, the team was able to create a completely new vision for the space.
The renovation on the third floor included adding a two-stop elevator and chair lifts. M&D Interiors chose a modest color scheme of tans and grays to fit the functionality of the structure, but the new finishes, carpets and paints will add a fresh look. An exposed brick wall in the building also now shows the original location of the structure but gives extra room for the user.
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M&D Project Architect Todd Grove and Muenstermann agree that the highlight of the renovated structure is the new two-story entryway. By tearing up the brick wall and adding a glass front, M&D ushered in natural daylight to fill the space.
From the second story, visitors can see the valley below.
“It’s a nice feature that I didn’t even envision until it was completed,” Muenstermann says. “To me, it’s the most fascinating part of the project, and it really highlights the natural elements of the beautiful landscape they are in.”
A sense of pride
While construction was delayed by COVID-19, it’s still on schedule to be completed by the end of 2020, Grove says. When police are able to move back in and the City offices settle into their new home, he hopes it creates a sense of pride for the community.
“It’s something that can be enjoyed and appreciated for years to come,” Grove says.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects took on the Architecture, Interior Design, & Overall Project Management for the new Bedford Elementary School, and the outcome is impactful.