Puyallup council hears 90% design, $25.4 million budget for new police station at Benaroya site

The City of Puyallup presented an update on Feb. 11 showing the tenant-improvement design for a new police station and emergency operations center at the Benaroya South Hill technology center has reached roughly a 90% construction-document level and remains on schedule and on budget for its phase‑1 scope.

The briefing matters because the project moves the city’s primary public‑safety operations to South Hill, consolidating the police department, emergency operations center (EOC) and community space in a leased building and freeing up previously bonded funds. City finance staff said the phase‑1 cost is $25.4 million, funded with $1.6 million in cash and approximately $23.8 million in proposed councilmanic bonds.

Brett Hanson, architect with McKinsey Architecture, told council the design team has completed an extensive round of staff and vendor coordination and that pricing from the landlord for the 45% design set returned favorably. "We're right on track for schedule," Hanson said, and the team expects to finalize permit‑ready documents by the end of the month and begin construction bidding in mid‑2025. He said construction could take about 10–12 months once a contractor is under the landlord's contract, with occupancy targeted in the first or second quarter following buildout.

Barbara Lopez, the city's finance director, outlined the project budget and financing plan. "We are still right at our expected costs that we brought to you when you were voting on this of $25,400,000. This is for phase 1," Lopez said. She said the city plans to fund phase‑1 with $1.6 million in facilities capital cash on hand and the remainder with about $23.8 million in councilmanic bonds. Lopez said staff will bring a bond ordinance to council for first reading March 25 and second reading April 1, and the city anticipates pricing and selling the bonds in May or June, subject to market conditions and rating outcomes.

Lopez described standard bond‑issuance steps: drafting an ordinance that delegates final sale terms to staff, preparing an offering statement for investors, and seeking a rating from a rating agency such as Standard & Poor’s. She warned that federal policy changes under consideration could affect tax‑exempt status for municipal bonds and raise yields; councilmembers requested staff and bond counsel to prepare a worksheet showing potential impacts if tax exemption rules change.

Police Chief Scott Engel said the consolidation will improve operations and community service. "This project is, first of all, on budget, on track, and on target," Engel said, adding that department staff and other city teams have been closely involved in the design process. The design includes a public lobby, a community/EOC room with flexible furniture and technical support for emergency activations, secure parking and memorial spaces for fallen officers and working canines.

Council members asked about adjacent uses and wayfinding. Hanson and staff walked council through site orientation: the new public entry faces the east parking area and a public thoroughfare that connects to nearby medical and office uses. Staff said a later phase of work will address the downtown substation/jail remodel and is expected to follow in mid‑to‑late 2025.

The presentation did not seek immediate council action on bonds; staff asked for direction and outlined the upcoming ordinance schedule.

What’s next: staff will finalize the permit set, complete bond‑issuance preparations, seek a bond rating, and return with the bond ordinance on March 25 (first reading) and April 1 (second reading). Construction start will depend on landlord timelines and the contractor procurement schedule.