City Council approves $2.3M increase for police facility design contract

REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands City Council voted on April 15 to approve an increase to the total contract agreement with Holt Architects, Inc. for the design and construction management of the Redlands Police Department’s new Safety Hall Facility to $4.54 million. The move also includes an additional $2.3 million appropriation from the city’s General Fund Reserve for Future Facilities.

Why it matters: The facility will support the city’s strategic priority of enhancing public health and safety, and marks a major milestone in modernizing Redlands’ public safety infrastructure.

Details: The Safety Hall Facility, planned for the property at 1625 W. Redlands Boulevard, will consolidate the Redlands Police Department, which currently operates out of four separate locations across the city. The new facility is expected to house approximately 90 sworn officers and 59 support and volunteer personnel, with space to accommodate future department growth.

The city originally entered into a $2.24 million agreement with Holt Architects in February 2023 for preliminary design and construction planning. The amended contract—now totaling $4.54 million—represents the full project fee from start to finish. Holt Architects also agreed to reduce its standard service fee from 5.79% to 4.25% of the total project cost.

City Council unanimously approved both the contract amendment and the appropriation. The $2.3 million draw will reduce the General Fund Reserve for Future Facilities from about $17.4 million to approximately $15.1 million.

Moving forward: Construction on the Safety Hall is expected to begin following final design approvals and permitting.