Essential service facility developed in public-private-partnership recognized by APWA Monterey Bay for flexible, resilient design
The LPA-designed Salinas Police Service Headquarters was recently named “Project of the Year” by the Monterey Bay chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA), the non-profit group for people who “plan, design, build, maintain, operate, and oversee” the country’s infrastructure.
The new Salinas headquarters, which was developed in a Public-Private Partnership (P3) with Griffin Structures (developer), Swinerton Builders (contractor), LPA (architect) and the City of Salinas, was honored in the Structures Greater Than $25 Million category. The facility replaced the city’s 65-year-old headquarters with a modern facility that addresses the city’s operational requirements and long-term goals.
“The Salinas headquarters was a great example of an integrated, collaborative design process developing a facility that will serve the community for generations,” says Jeremy Hart, LPA’s Director of Civic + Cultural. “We always want to be good stewards of the community’s money.”
The new facility replaced the existing building with two structures – one for administration staff, investigators, support staff and first-responder operations and a second building dedicated to nonessential functions, including a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory, efficient high density evidence storage, SWAT training and ready rooms, and a customizable firearms proficiency and training range.
The main building is engineered to meet California’s Essential Services Buildings Seismic Safety Act, providing the resiliency necessary for the essential 24/7 public safety operation. Shifting the nonessential functions into a separate building helped reduce construction costs and create more opportunities to develop specialized training and investigation spaces. The buildings were designed with concrete tilt-up panels, which provides a defensible structure while also reducing construction time and expense.
APWA is a nonprofit professional association of public works agencies, private companies, and individuals dedicated to promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge.
The Monterey Bay awards ceremony was held Feb. 23 at Bayonet/Black Horse Golf Course Restaurant in Seaside, California.
