Trivers has completed the $27 million transformation of two historic University City, Missouri, buildings: the City Hall Annex and adjacent Trinity Building. Returned to active use after years of vacancy, the Annex is now home to the University City Police Department (UCPD), and the Trinity Building houses municipal court operations and a multi-purpose area for court proceedings and community use.
Investing in Safety and Service
Since 2016, both police and municipal court operations had been housed in temporary locations. Modular units behind City Hall were serving as police headquarters, and court proceedings were conducted at the Heman Park Community Center.
“After nearly eight years, our public safety teams finally have permanent, purpose-built spaces that support their work in keeping our residents safe,” said University City Mayor Terry Crow. “We honored our historic buildings while transforming them into state-of-the-art public safety facilities and delivered these facilities on schedule, within budget and without raising taxes. These modern facilities will provide our police officers, court staff and residents with safe, efficient and professional spaces designed to serve our community for decades.”
As lead architect and historic architect on University City’s largest capital project to date, Trivers collaborated with contractor ICS Construction Services and a full team of consultants, including HOK (justice), IMEG (MEPFP engineering), KPFF (structural engineering), DG2 Design (landscape), Civil Design, Inc. (civil engineering), H2 Ltg (lighting), and CCS (estimating). Following Trivers’ comprehensive building evaluation and space needs analysis in 2019, the team thoughtfully preserved the buildings’ architecturally significant features while making critical upgrades to support modern operations, accessibility and long-term use.
“Our analysis confirmed that new construction wasn’t necessary to meet University City’s needs,” said Trivers Principal Amy Gilbertson, FAIA. “Instead, it validated a more cost-effective, sustainable approach centered on the adaptive reuse of existing, underutilized buildings. By thoughtfully renovating these structures, University City has preserved its historic character while transforming its building stock to support modern operations and meet current and future needs.”
The Annex: A Landmark Adapted for 21st Century Police Operations
Originally constructed in 1903 as the printing plant for the Lewis Publishing Company, the 36,000-square-foot, three-story Annex has been revitalized into headquarters for the UCPD. After being closed in 2016, the building has been restored and updated with secure, modernized spaces for evidence storage, processing, holding and visitation, and improved accessilibility based on Universal Design principles. Additional features support critical operations, training, technology and staff wellness. A new public entrance on the east side of the Annex reveals historic masonry details while enhancing access to City Hall and strengthening connections among University City departments and the surrounding community.
“The state-of-the-art headquarters will immediately impact recruiting, retention, morale, strategic efforts and many more components of University City public safety,” said University City Chief of Police Larry Hampton. “The UCPD always serves and protects with integrity, pride and commitment; however, positive outcomes will increase with this great investment.”
The Trinity Building: A Former Library Repurposed as Municipal Court
Next door, the two-story, 8,512-square-foot Trinity Building was constructed in 1934 as University City’s public library but stood vacant for six decades. The recent renovations repurposed it into a fully accessible municipal court facility. The centerpiece of the renovation is a 2,200-square-foot courtroom featuring 14-foot ceilings, restored architectural details and expansive windows that bring in natural light. A relocated entrance with ramp access and a new elevator improve accessibility, while modern safety technology enhances the courtroom experience. Municipal court offices, public restrooms and community spaces were also designed for modern comfort and convenience.
A Longstanding Partnership Delivering for University City
Trivers has supported University City’s advancement of public facilties for nearly two decades. The partnership began in 2007 with significant historic renovations to the five-story City Hall building, which achieved LEED certification.
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Annex and Trinity Building was held on March 26. The renovations will conclude in fall 2026 with the completion of site work, including landscape improvements, walking paths, public and accessible parking, and secure parking for the UCPD.
