City Council Approves Design Contract for New $62M Police Headquarters

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to demolish the existing police headquarters and build a $62 million replacement facility, after City Manager Mike Futrell reported that his tour of the building confirmed demolition is necessary. 

"Last time I was here, I was asking you to give me a little more time. Now I'm here to tell you to hurry up," Futrell told council members, referencing his previous request to tour the facility and explore renovation alternatives before committing to the costly replacement project. 

All five council members present approved a $3.3 million contract amendment with Holt Architects of Palm Desert for Phase II design work, despite the city having only $52 million available for the project through Measure Z funds. Councilmembers Clarissa Cervantes and Steve Hemenway were absent. 

The contract amendment was added to Tuesday's agenda at the last minute, requiring a Sunshine Ordinance waiver that bypassed the city's normal 12-day advance notice requirement. City staff said the emergency measure was needed "to mitigate the risk of continued escalating costs due to inflation, tariffs and other economic uncertainties" and ensure the project becomes "shovel-ready as soon as possible." 

The amendment increases Holt’s total contract to $3.43 million, with an additional $333,192 contingency for unforeseen changes, bringing the total architectural contract to $3.76 million. The agreement extends through March 1, 2028, and covers design development, construction drawings, bidding and construction administration. 

The existing headquarters at 4102 Orange St., designed by architect Herman O. Ruhnau and opened in 1965, suffers from critical infrastructure failures. Water and sewer lines run directly above server equipment and electronics, creating safety hazards. The building's 1960s-era electrical switchgear produces noise levels between 90 and 100 decibels — equivalent to a motorcycle — while the basement floods regularly and lacks proper insulation or seismic safety features. 

Staff analysis showed renovation would require gutting everything except the exterior walls at a cost of $49 million, compared to $62 million for new construction. Renovation would provide only a 20-year lifespan versus 50 to 60 years for a new building, with higher ongoing maintenance costs. 

The $10 million funding gap remains unresolved, with the additional money included only as a “placeholder” in the city budget pending identification of additional revenue sources. The project’s total cost breakdown includes $41 million for construction, $4.55 million in escalation costs, $4.05 million for demolition and site improvements, and $8.2 million in soft costs including permits, equipment and contingencies. 

“There is no greater advocate on the City Council for saving and reusing old buildings than me, but it’s just not feasible with this building,” said Ward 1 Councilmember Philip Falcone, noting that other city departments have received new headquarters in recent decades while police facilities have been neglected. 

Annual debt service is projected at $4 million over 30 years. Construction is targeted to begin in July 2026, following completion of design work and bidding. 

The new facility will house administrative divisions including the chief’s office, personnel and training, records bureau, internal affairs and community services. It will serve more than 630 police department employees and nearly 320,000 city residents. 

Measure Z, approved by voters in 2017, originally allocated $45 million for police infrastructure improvements, but the budget was reduced to $35.3 million that year when funds were redirected to the downtown library project.