Weekly police update also includes alleged assault on officer, dealership theft attempt, DUI arrests and recovery of $10,000 in stolen tools
Council advances Phase II of the long-planned police headquarters project as demolition begins at the former Kmart site.
Weeklong program gives participants hands-on experience in police, fire and emergency response careers
Council advances Phase II of the long-planned police headquarters project as demolition begins at the former Kmart site.
REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands City Council unanimously approved nearly $50 million in construction contracts Tuesday, July 7, advancing the city's long-awaited Police Department Safety Hall into its next phase as demolition officially began on the former Kmart property.
The council approved agreements totaling $49.74 million for Phase II and increased its construction management contract with Tilden-Coil Constructors by $3.03 million, bringing that agreement to just over $6 million.
"We can officially say that this morning demolition started," Facilities and Community Services Management Analyst Tricia Munoz told the council during a July 7 meeting. "So the Kmart building is technically no more."
Tilden-Coil shared on the news on social media with a series of demolition photos Wednesday.
Why it matters: Once completed, the approximately 60,000-square-foot police station at 1625 W. Redlands Boulevard will consolidate the Police Department's operations from four separate facilities into one headquarters designed to accommodate roughly 90 sworn officers, civilian staff and future department growth.
The project is one of the city's largest capital investments and a central component of Redlands' long-term public safety strategy.
Details: Tuesday's action follows several major approvals that have steadily moved the project from planning into construction.
The city first acquired the former Kmart property in 2022. In 2023, the City Council awarded contracts to Holt Architects for design services and Tilden-Coil Constructors for construction management.
In April, the council approved more than $4.2 million in Phase I contracts covering demolition, hazardous materials abatement, grading and construction inspection services.
The council also approved an amendment to Holt Architects' contract in April, increasing the total design agreement to $4.54 million as the project advanced through final design.
Most recently, on June 16, the council adopted its two-year budget and approved financing of up to $85 million for several major infrastructure projects. Approximately $58 million of that financing is earmarked for the police station, with the city also contributing about $20 million in cash from its Future Facilities Reserve and roughly $500,000 in development impact fees. Together, those funding sources bring the estimated cost of the facility to approximately $78 million.
Tuesday's Phase II approval authorizes $49,742,404 in construction contracts across more than 20 trade packages, including structural concrete, steel, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, landscaping and site utilities. City staff said the project received 125 bids before selecting contractors.
Zoom out: Redlands’ Safety Hall is among the largest public safety construction projects currently underway in the Inland Empire.
The City of Rialto is constructing a 58,000-square-foot police headquarters with an estimated cost of approximately $83 million, funded through a combination of lease revenue bonds and a $26 million city contribution, according to IE Community News. The project is expected to be completed late 2026.
In Riverside, construction is expected to begin this month on a new 37,838-square-foot, three-story police headquarters after the city's downtown station officially closed in May ahead of demolition.
The new Riverside headquarters, designed by Holt Architects — the same firm designing Redlands' Public Safety Hall — will be completed in 2028. The project is budgeted at $62 million, up from an original estimate of $59.5 million.
The San Bernardino City Unified School District is also building the James Ramos Center for Public Safety on State Street, a roughly 17,000-square-foot facility expected to cost approximately $24 million, according to the San Bernardino City Unified School District Facilities Department website.
Moving forward: With demolition now underway and major construction contracts approved, the Public Safety Hall project has officially entered its primary construction phase.
The facility is expected to take several years to complete and remains one of Redlands' largest infrastructure investments.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
