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Boca Raton staff outline $190 million police headquarters; financing put before voters
Summary
City staff updated the council on a proposed police headquarters project estimated at $190 million and said voters will decide a bond authorization (Question 1) on the March 10 ballot to finance up to $175 million of general‑obligation bonds alongside $15 million in cash.
City staff on Tuesday presented council members with an updated plan for a consolidated police department headquarters and a recommended financing approach that will appear on the March 10 ballot.
The project is estimated at $190 million, staff said. The proposed financing package includes $15 million in cash and up to $175 million in general‑obligation bonds; bond repayment was projected in staff materials as a 30‑year schedule. Deputy City Manager/CFO Mr. Zervas told the council the bond approach is conventional for large public facilities, and that the amount on the ballot is the maximum the city could borrow if needed.
The project team described the headquarters as a multi‑building campus that would consolidate operations now scattered across seven facilities. Chief Muccio and Public Works Director Zach Beard said the design emphasizes operational efficiency, secure evidence storage, a firing range and hurricane‑rated backup systems; staff described a central energy plant and phased build‑out so the public components can scale over time.
Staff provided a preliminary timeline that anticipates completing 60% of design work in 2026, site construction beginning in 2027 and a move‑in target in 2029, with a total project duration of roughly 48 months once construction begins. The presentation noted the project has been discussed with the council and the public for nearly two decades and that the city has conducted dozens of community workshops.
Zervas emphasized that the March ballot question is strictly about financing (approval of bonds) and not a vote on location, architecture or delivery method. ‘‘This is a financing vote, not a vote on where the police headquarters should be located,’’ he told the council. Staff said the final scope and cost will be refined through procurement and competitive bidding.
The council did not take a formal vote on the project at the meeting; staff said the financing question will appear as Question 1 on the March ballot and encouraged residents to review FAQs and attend follow‑up workshops scheduled in February.
The next steps listed by staff are continued design work, ongoing public outreach and competitive procurement once funding is secured by voter approval.
