REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 12/07/2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Public Works Department
SUBJECT:
Title
Authorize the creation of a new Capital Improvement Project and transfer of funding for the demolition of the old Police Department Building at the corner of Buena Vista Avenue and Sixth Street.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to authorize the creation of a new Capital Improvement Project titled “Old PD Building Demolition” and to transfer funding from the Corona Innovation Center Project to this newly created project. The former Police Station building has remained primarily vacant since the Police Department moved to its present location in 2009 and the building is currently unsuitable for any activities that require full-time occupancy. This project will demolish the former Police Station building and provide additional green space outside the Historic Civic Center for community activities.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the creation of a new Capital Improvement Project titled “Old PD Building Demolition, Project No. 2022-18.”
b. Authorize a budgetary transfer of $1,000,000 from the existing Capital Improvement Project No. 71700 Corona Innovation Center Project to the newly created Capital Improvement Project Old PD Building Demolition within the American Rescue Plan Act Fund 413.
c. Authorize a budgetary reduction of $500,000 in the Capital Improvement Project No. 71700 Corona Innovation Center Project, within the American Rescue Plan Act Fund 413, back to fund balance to be redistributed to other projects as needed.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The City of Corona’s former Police Station was constructed in 1978 and is located at 849 West Sixth Street, immediately east of the Historic Civic Center, which previously served as the Corona City Hall. In 2005, the City moved into the current City Hall building located north of the Historic Civic Center. Shortly after, in 2009, the Police Station at Sixth Street was closed when the Police Department moved to its present location at 730 Public Safety Way.
The former Police Station’s 24,000-square-foot building remained vacant until recently, when it became a temporary storage facility for the non-profit organization Make It Cozy. Make It Cozy receives donations of furniture and other household items for use in transitional housing. Unfortunately, the building is currently not suitable for any other activities that involve full-time occupancy. Some of the issues that are affecting the use of the building include: the presence of lead paint and asbestos; the need for extensive water and sewer repairs; electrical repairs; required earthquake retrofit to meet current building standards; and the need to replace the flooring, roof and air conditioning units due to age and water damage. In addition, since the building is unoccupied, break-ins are a routine occurrence.
ANALYSIS:
On September 28, 2022, at the Fall Policy Workshop, the Corona City Council was provided with a presentation on the current state of the Old Police Department building and three options to consider for what next steps to take. The three options presented were 1) take no action with no costs associated; 2) demolish the building and create a green space for an estimated project cost of $580,000, and 3) renovate the building at an estimated cost of $4 million. After a brief discussion, the City Council provided direction to proceed with demolishing the old Police Station and adding green space. Funding for the project would be provided by reallocating up to $1 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Staff recommends a transfer of $1,000,000 from an existing Capital Improvement Project (CIP) No. 71700, the Corona Innovation Center Project, to fund this project. Project 71700 currently has a balance of $1,500,000 remaining in the project account. Staff will return to City Council to award the project bid for the Old PD Building Demolition once plans are developed, and a contractor is selected. Any unused funds for the Old PD Building Demolition Project will be returned to the ARPA fund balance at the conclusion of the project. Staff is also recommending the transfer of the remaining $500,000 in ARPA funding from the existing CIP No. 71700 Corona Innovation Center Project back to the ARPA fund balance in order to be redistributed to other projects as needed. Other funding sources are being identified for future funding of the Corona Innovation Center Project.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in a budgetary transfer of $1,000,000 from the existing Capital Improvement Project No. 71700 Corona Innovation Center Project to the newly created Capital Improvement Project Old PD Building Demolition within the American Rescue Plan Act Fund 413, and a budgetary reduction of $500,000 from Project No. 71700 back to the ARPA fund balance. The current available balance in ARPA funds in the Corona Innovation Center Project CIP No. 71700 is $1,500,000, which is sufficient for the recommended actions.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action is to create a new Capital Improvement Project and transfer funding, and there is no possibility that adopting this action will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required at this time.
PREPARED BY: TRACY MARTIN, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: SAVAT KHAMPHOU, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Project Location Map
2. Exhibit 2 - Future of the Old Police Station Presentation, September 28, 2022