The Oxford Police Department is one step closer to getting its new and improved facilities.

On Tuesday, the Oxford Board of Aldermen approved a proposal from McCarty Architects, PA for Preplanning Services related to the conversion of the Oxford Enterprise Center to the Oxford Police Department.

Aldermen also approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the state Department of Finance that will allow the city to accept the $1 million state legislature set aside for OPD renovations.

Plans for the new OPD building were approved last year. The new location is meant to accommodate the OPD’s growth.

The goal of the project is to relocate the Oxford Police Department to the current Oxford Enterprise Center building. The Oxford Enterprise Center building is approximately 37,500 square feet and will need to be fully renovated to accommodate all functions of the police station, currently located on Molly Barr Road, and other functions located at offsite facilities.

Along with interior renovation and upgrades, the building will also require a new exterior image suitable for the police department. While outward expansion is not anticipated, it should be considered in the design for future growth of the department.

Limited site work will be required for security enhancements and parking of service vehicles and equipment.

The work will begin four weeks after the execution of the agreement and is estimated to take three months to complete, depending on the availability of information and the decision-making process of the using group and city.