Investing in Community Safety: Santa Barbara Breaks Ground on a New Police Station

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November 19, 2024

On November 18, 2024, the City of Santa Barbara held a groundbreaking event for its new Santa Barbara Police Station, marking a significant milestone in the City's efforts to advance public safety and modernize law enforcement facilities. The station will be constructed at the former Cota Street Parking Lot and given a new address of 601 Santa Barbara Street. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as the department's centralized headquarters, enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening its ability to protect and serve the community. The City Council approved the $96 million construction contract to ProWest Constructors Inc. on Tuesday, November 12.

Groundbreaking Ceremony speakers City Administrator Kelly McAdoo, Mayor Randy Rowse, Police Chief Kelly Gordon, and ProWest Constructors Executive VP Rick Fochtman, were joined by elected officials, community leaders, City staff, and project contractors to celebrate this momentous occasion. Speakers underscored the value of the new station and the enhanced features it brings to the community.

"This new building is really going to take our Police Department into the 21st century and beyond," said City Administrator Kelly McAdoo. "I'm very excited to be a part of this project…and to get this project across the finish line."

Police Chief Kelly Gordan highlighted, "More than anything, this is going to provide the community with better access to their police department, which is really the biggest priority." She continued, "There is a lot of new technology and a whole lot of thought that has gone into this."

Following speakers, officials donned hard hats and took ceremonial shovels to break ground, signaling the project's official kickoff.

The new police station, a collaboration between the City's Public Works Department and SBPD, has been in the planning and design phase for over seven years. Construction of the new police station is scheduled to begin in January 2025 with an expected completion in Spring 2027.

The new Police Station will be a three-story, 65,000-square-foot building designed to consolidate the entire police force, which currently operates from four separate locations. This state-of-the-art facility will include a 911 public safety dispatch center, parking structure for department and personnel vehicles, forensics laboratory, community room, fitness center, training room, indoor shooting range, property and evidence room, and a large solar and battery array.

To minimize disruption, the existing Figueroa Street station will remain operational throughout construction and traffic control measures will be implemented around the 601 Santa Barbara Street project area.

For more information, and to subscribe to project updates, visit Santa Barbara Police Station Project - SantaBarbaraCA.gov/SBPDStation.

Photos from the groundbreaking ceremony are accessible here: SBPD Station Groundbreaking Ceremony

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