Elon Purchases Six-Acre Site for New Municipal and Police Facility

The Town of Elon completed the $3 million purchase of a 6.2-acre commercial property at 112 Orange Drive, formerly occupied by Laboratory Corporation of America, clearing the path for a new municipal building and police station to replace the town's aging facilities on South Williamson Avenue.

The acquisition caps more than a year of negotiation that began in March 2025, when Elon's town council first went into closed session to weigh the LabCorp site as a candidate for relocating both town hall and the police department. The council voted 4-to-0 in October to authorize the $3 million offer to LabCorp, and council member Randy Orwig did not understate what the deal meant: "This is probably one of the biggest things this town has done in a long time."

Beyond housing the police department and municipal offices, the Orange Drive property is expected to provide dedicated space for public meetings and departmental training, needs that the current South Williamson Avenue location cannot adequately meet.

An environmental review of the property turned up no contamination beyond asbestos floor tiles, with abatement costs still being determined. Architectural assessments flagged renovation work concentrated on the building's roof and HVAC system, though Town Manager Richard Roedner noted that reusing functional systems and existing furnishings could hold costs down. Current renovation estimates stand at roughly $3.5 million, a figure that will be refined as design work advances.

The 49-year-old building sat in a purchase-agreement limbo through January, as council members debated financing paths and worked through the renovation cost picture before the deal ultimately closed. With the property now in town hands, Elon faces the next phase: converting a former laboratory campus off Williamson Drive into the civic hub its growing population requires.