Santa Barbara Police Station contract awarded

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-The Santa Barbara City Council adopted staff recommendations that will help the Police Station Project move forward at 601 Santa Barbara Street where the Cota Commuter Lot is currently located.

The city also authorized a contract for design and funding for extra services that may be needed during the scope of the project.

Mayor Randy Rowse said, " After a long, long, long time, and I know this because I was back on the committees in the 1990s talking about the police station, we finally decided and finalized the spot, the location for it and we approved that, we approved the architects contract to go ahead and get started."

The $92 million dollar station will benefit from Measure C funding and a bond.

If all goes well it could break ground in the Spring of 2024.

The mayor said it will probably be a two year construction project meaning it could be open for police business sometime in 2026.

The move can't come soon enough for officers working out of the old station that was built in 1959.

Interim Santa Barbara Police Chief Marylinda Arroyo and Sgt. E Ragsdale allowed our news camera in the old building to see the repairs and patches that have had to make do over the years.

They have made changes to accommodate wheelchairs, but have not been able to make the building meet seismic standards.

The department rents others spaces to make room for its officers who often have to park on the street.

It is not clear what will become of the old building, but the SBPD Fallen Officer Memorial that honors seven officers will have a home at the new station.

Mayor Randy Rowse said the design will compliment the architecture of Santa Barbara.

"It is an imposing building, 70,000 square feet building, but it will be in the white Spanish, red tile style, so it will fit in with the downtown," said Rowse.

For more information about the Santa Barbara Police Station Project visit http://santabarbaraca.gov/projects/santa-barbara-police-station-project