By: Mariel Carbone | WCTV Eyewitness News

February 21, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) — It’s back to the drawing board for city staff.

In a late night vote, the city commission moved to scrap the current plans for its new police headquarters. Instead, it’ll look for a new location to build the $60 million public safety campus.

"I personally supported it, but obviously there was a lot of sentiment against it and we listened,” said City Commissioner Curtis Richardson, who made the motion to scratch the current plans.

The decision came after two town hall meetings where residents overwhelmingly opposed the location. Among the reasons for opposition were a lack of community input and that the price tag was too steep. Others were against the loss of the various stores inside the shopping center, including the Save a Lot grocery store and Citi Trends.

"[Losing this] would be, I mean, something tragic,” said resident Bacardi Glen.

Glen referred to the shopping center as the neighborhood mall and said it is convenient for residents to get everything and anything they need.

"A lot of people over here, we walk. We don't have transportation,” he said. "Anywhere [else] is fine, but just right here, this location it would've been a lot harder for us on the Southside."

Resident Stephanie Davis agreed.

“Everybody likes this shopping center. Everybody loves it. And it's convenient for all the elder people to come here and shop and buy clothes for their grand kids,” said Davis

Still, those who were supportive of use that location for the police headquarters are disappointed by the decision and said it’s a missed opportunity for the Southside.

"It would've driven a lot of the other development that happens,” said Talethia Edwards, a neighborhood leader in the Bond community. "It would've given the community an understanding of how to move forward in terms of community revitalization instead of redevelopment."

However, Edwards said the commission listened to what the people wanted and said she can’t argue with that.

Next, staff will work to find alternative locations, whether that be on the Southside or not. Options with how to proceed forward will be brought back to the commission in March.

Despite the setback, the commission has said a new police station will be built. It’s just a question of where it will be built.

"There's no question [that one will be built]. That building is almost 80 years old and had a lot of structural defects. It can't accommodate the current staff,” said Richardson.

By: WCTV Eyewitness News

February 20, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- Tallahassee city commissioners have voted to abandon the proposed site for the new Tallahassee Police Department station at Town South Shopping Center.

The city says it was a unanimous vote.

The city says the topic will be discussed at the March 6 commission meeting.