Riverside council approves phase‑2 design services for new downtown police headquarters, targets Measure Z funding

The City Council on July 1 approved a contract amendment to advance architectural design for a new downtown Riverside Police Headquarters, moving the project into phase 2 of design with an accelerated 12‑month goal to get to construction.

City staff laid out a condition assessment of the existing 63‑year‑old building, highlighting recurring basement floods, leaking plumbing that damaged IT equipment, unreliable elevators, outdated electrical switchgear and HVAC systems, and seismic vulnerabilities. General Services Director Lee Withers said maintenance costs were estimated as high as $350,000 a year for the current facility and argued new construction would reduce long‑term operating costs and improve security and layout.

The city manager described a funding approach that targets Measure Z for a $50 million share within an estimated total project cost of $59.5 million, and argued that accelerating design work reduces escalation risk. "Our goal is for the Measure Z spend to be $50,000,000," the manager said during the presentation. Staff recommended approval of the phase‑2 architecture agreement, a design contingency, and authorization for the city manager to execute the agreement.

Council discussion was unanimous in support, with members describing the existing building as dated and unfit for modern policing functions. The council voted to approve the design‑services amendment and related authorizations by unanimous vote.

What happens next: Staff said the contract is critical path for reaching a shovel‑ready stage in 12 months; departments including PD, finance, IT, public works and fire will coordinate to meet the aggressive timeline. Staff will return with additional schedule and funding updates as design and procurement proceed.

Sources: Presentation and council discussion as recorded in the July 1 meeting.