New Santa Barbara Police station plan projected to be completed in 2026

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara's proposed new police command headquarters is still on track for reviews, designs and funding, but the timeline is not going to be too soon. The completion day on paper is in 2026.

A recent briefing by city leaders went over the present status.

It calls for building permits in late 2023 and construction beginning in early 2024, for 24 to 28 months.

"We want a building that is welcoming to the public, the reflex the spirit of community policing," said Police Chief Barney Melekian at a community update meeting recently. Melekian is serving in the interim role, but when he was the police chief in Pasadena, he was also part of a new police station project.

He says the current station is old and "there's concerns about its seismic stability."

Architect Brian Cearnel says the parking lot and police station are in close proximity to each other. "The site is condensed," he said. "We have relatively gracious landscaping."

The current use for the parking lot is for a commuter parking lot requiring a permit. On Saturday it is the home to the largest of the Farmers' Markets.

That market will be moved to Carrillo Street when the police project begins.

The cost of the police building has been estimated at $80 million. With construction costs fluctuating tremendously these days, it's unclear if the final price will change from that when the project is done in 2026.

For more information go to: Santa Barbara Police Station Project Community Update