St. Louis Mayor promises to look into future 911 Dispatch center following First Alert 4 Investigates report

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - First Alert 4 is getting reaction from the city of St. Louis and the promise to look into the city’s future 911 dispatch center.

It’s a $45 million price tag for a 17,000-square-foot building that will pull all of the city’s emergency dispatch services under one roof.

As First Alert 4 Investigates told you Wednesday, an emergency agreement was signed last June. There was a groundbreaking in October. Yet this week, construction has yet to begin on the lot, which is now an eyesore.

Sources told First Alert 4 from April to November last year was more than enough time to produce complete design drawings for a competitive bid.

That didn’t happen. Instead, the city entered into an emergency agreement with a contractor.

After months of trying to get city leaders to speak on camera, Mayor Cara Spencer addressed the project on Thursday.

“This is something we are still evaluating. I agree with your concerns on that,” Mayor Spencer said.

Mayor Spencer responded to our story on Thursday about why the city of St. Louis needed to sign an emergency agreement to build its future 911 dispatch center — but nearly a year later, the construction site remains bare.

“That was done before I took this seat, and before I give you a full answer, we are going to do a bit more fact-finding. That’s what we are doing now,” Spencer said.

First Alert 4 has investigated the city’s slow responses to emergencies several times over the last few years. The proposed fix: a new 911 dispatch center to bring all of the city’s dispatch services under one roof — streamlining communication, officials said, between police, fire, and EMS.

Renderings show what the building is supposed to look like when complete. The city says $25 million in ARPA funding is helping cover the cost, along with $10 million from the state. In December, the Board of Aldermen approved another $8.5 million for the dispatch center, bringing the total cost to $45 million.

One key question remains: If there’s still no construction a year later, why was an emergency agreement needed?

“Any time an emergency contract is issued, I have concerns,” Spencer said.

First Alert 4 asked Mayor Spencer if she had concerns about giving an emergency contract before completing a design.

“I had concerns with this, with the Workhouse, the demolition of that, which was done in a similar manner. Those are not ways in which I would like to move forward. So I do share your concerns on that,” Spencer said.

First Alert 4 obtained the emergency agreement the city of St. Louis signed with Kozeny-Wagner last June.

The contract price is listed at just over $21 million. A cost breakdown from June 4 shows that amount is just for the structure — it does not include doors, windows, 911 dispatch systems, communications technology or security installation.

It’s still unclear if those remaining items bring the project total to $45 million.

In her first 30 days in office, Mayor Spencer has ended the Building Stabilization Program and paused Metro’s Green Line project.

First Alert 4 Investigates asked the mayor if this project, which began under former Mayor Tishaura Jones, could meet a similar fate.

“Without having a full answer and wanting to move forward with issues, especially as it pertains to 911, where public safety is on the line, we are taking a cautionary approach. But it’s certainly a priority for my istration — for my office — to get to the bottom of, and I appreciate your reporting on it because, frankly, it is concerning when that happens,” Spencer said.

First Alert 4 has made multiple interview requests to the city to speak with the Board of Public Service and the Board of Public Safety, dating back to January. We have yet to get interviews.

We will continue to ask for answers.

Construction of the 911 dispatch center is scheduled to be complete in 2026.

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