Sep 5, 2008

Police HQ on track; cost woes still linger

'Parallel bars' design wins high praise in early review

By Will Oremus / Daily News Staff Writer

Plans for a new police headquarters in Palo Alto are solidifying even as questions linger about how to pay for it.

After junking two other option, the city's architectural review board Thursday gave project planners a tentative go-ahead to revise the station's design. The new scheme will feature two, parallel three-story structures - one for police, one for parking - on the full 1.5-acre block framed by Page Mill Road, Park Boulevard, Sheridan Avenue and the Caltrain tracks.

The board had plenty of suggestions for how to improve the plans but saw no insurmountable problems at this early stage. That's a big relief to public works officials, who will need a smooth path to approval to keep the $69 million project within budget. They hope to submit a formal application in November and take bids on construction next summer.

Meanwhile, the city is still grappling with how to finance the project. The latest plan would require $5.2 million annually from its general fund for 30 years to pay off the capital and interest on loans worth about $80 million. It's a daunting chunk, considering the city's total general fund budget was about $146 million last year.

Officials hope new revenue, including some from a proposed business license tax, will help cover the cost without serious budget cuts. Details of the financing plan won't be set until after bids come in, said Joe Saccio, deputy director of administrative services.

First, those behind the project must address some design issues raised by the review board Thursday.

Board members generally liked the interplay between the 48,500-square-foot main police building and the parking garage. The rectangular buildings are aligned as "parallel bars" separated by a long courtyard. A training room and walkway at one end connects them.

"They're doing interesting things with having open space at different levels of the building, not just on the first floor," Board Member David Solnick noted. "They've been real creative and thoughtful so far."

But some board members said the courtyard is too narrow, limiting its aesthetic benefit to the public. And several agreed the architects will need to find a way to make the back of the parking garage attractive, since it will be so visually prominent.

A better strategy for public access is also needed, the board said. The preliminary plans show guest parking along Page Mill Road, but the entrance plaza is around the corner, facing Park Boulevard.

Those points aside, Solnick said, "I didn't feel like there were any deal-breakers."

The board will examine the plans again once the application has been submitted.



E-mail Will Oremus at woremus@dailynewsgroup.com.



BY THE NUMBERS

Palo Alto will need to stretch its budget to pay for a new public safety building, which is working its way through the public review process. Here's a rough breakdown of the projected costs:

Construction: $33M

Project development: $6M

Land purchase: $14M

Contingencies: $7M

Inflation: $6M

Furniture and equipment: $3M

Overall project cost: $69M

Loan amount: $80M*

Total debt service: $5.2 million per year for 30 years**



*Includes debt service reserve and capitalized interest

**Includes interest



SOURCE: Palo Alto Public Works; Administrative Services