Edhat Staff
By the edhat staff
The Santa Barbara City Council approved the $4.5 million architecture design contract for the new police station this week.
Cearnal Collective designed the three-story 64,000-square-foot building that will replace the commuter parking lot on the corners of Cota and Santa Barbara Streets. An associated 84,000 square foot parking structure will also be built to accommodate 236 parking spaces. Each structure will have a subterranean level with some surface parking. Additional features will include a lounge, locker room, firing range, fitness center, and crime lab.
The project would involve the removal of 23 Tipuana Tipu trees and 12 oak trees. The existing MTD bus stop shelter on Cota Street will be removed and relocated and the existing plaques commemorating the old Lincoln School would be incorporated into the relocation.
The cost is $92 million with the majority of funding coming from Measure C revenue where voters approved a 1% sales tax increase four years ago.
Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse stated it’s taken a long time to get to this point but believes the design will fit in with Santa Barbara’s aesthetic.
“It is an imposing building… but it will be in the white Spanish, red tile style, so it will fit in with the downtown,” Rowse said.
The project could begin construction as early as the Spring of 2024.
Click here for more information about the Santa Barbara Police Station Project.
I am so glad that the City gave this contract to the favorite son.
Congratulations this is great for our police and our city. Now let’s put Santa Barbara residents to work building it. I noticed toro out of Oxnard was hired to pave the streets and do our sidewalks. Please put local people to work,