The Dartmouth Police Department’s new police station now has a location: the old Gidley School property on Tucker Road.

The Police Chief’s Advisory Group approved the site after the November 1 deadline to offer private land for the site had passed. Town Meeting voters approved $215,000 to conduct a study and design for the new station, and $785,000 to demolish the former school at the Fall Town Meeting.

“The Gidley School site was the most advantageous parcel out of all the parcels available to us,” said Project Manager Richard Pomroy.

The group considered both public and private property for the station. Private property owners had until November 1 to express an interest in selling or gifting land to the town to build the station. Only one person came forward to offer private property – a 3.5-acre parcel located behind Wal-Mart – but Pomroy said the site was the least desirable out of every option they considered, and would have cost $875,000 to purchase.

It was not immediately clear how many other properties the group considered.

The group decided on the Gidley School site by analyzing each site in about seven to eight different categories. Pomroy said the Gidley School site is appealing because it is a level and easy site to develop, provides access to all areas of town, and does not need to be purchased as the town already owns it.

The Carell Group has been selected to serve as the project's architect.

Pomroy said a feasibility study and preliminary schematic designs could be finished by mid-February.