Publication Date: Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Another twist in police-building saga
Another twist in police-building saga
(November 23, 2005) County may be willing to sell land to city; council approves blue-ribbon committee
by Bill D'Agostino
The long-running saga entitled "Palo Alto Tries to Rebuild its Inadequate Police Headquarters" took yet another unexpected turn Monday night, with the announcement that a possible county-owned site near California Avenue was back in play.
The city had long believed the land to be unavailable for the project. But Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss unexpectedly told city officials late Monday afternoon the county might be interested in leasing the property on Grant Avenue across from the county courthouse or partnering with the city on a joint project, Assistant City Manager Emily Harrison told the council.
"That is a very exciting possibility that I hope has some fruition," Councilwoman Yoriko Kishimoto said in response.
The land is separate from another parcel near California Avenue that had been considered but was rejected because it would replace a public-parking structure and displease merchants.
For numerous years, the city has been studying locales to place a new, upgraded police facility. City officials say the current headquarters -- on the back of City Hall -- lacks ample space and proper ventilation, is not seismically sound and violates numerous health, safety and evidence codes.
Although Councilman Jack Morton questioned the need to expedite the police-headquarters effort ahead of other desired construction projects, most council members warned the city was risking lawsuits and threatening the safety of locals by not pressing forward as quickly as possible.
"We stand at risk in many ways," Councilman Vic Ojakian said.
At the same time, though, Kniss' offer forced the council to take a step backward and halt its consideration of a proposal from local real-estate developer Chop Keenan, which council members might otherwise have approved on Monday night. Keenan is offering to construct a new 64,000-square-foot building on land owned both by him and the city near downtown, on Bryant Street, for $48 million.
It was Keenan's unexpected proposal in May that led the council to consider partnering with real-estate developers on the rebuild, rather than pressing forward on its own. Three other developers submitted proposals to the city, although city staff viewed the other three as lacking for various reasons.
City officials will now meet with county officials about the possible use of the Grant Avenue site.
The council did make progress toward the police rebuild on Monday night by voting to form a "blue ribbon" committee that will study whether to shrink the planned building's cost and size. The independent committee could also rally community support for a possible bond measure, which would need approval from voters, to pay for the project.
Mayor Jim Burch will appoint the committee, subject to the full council's approval, although Councilwoman Hillary Freeman questioned the logic of that choice, given that Burch is a "lame duck" mayor. (New council members are replacing Burch, Freeman and Ojakian in January.)
But Vice Mayor Judy Kleinberg said waiting for the new mayor and the new council would delay the long-overdue project by an additional three months.
"Anybody that walks through this police facility as it exists today and takes a hard look at it in an objective manner -- not going in to prove what they already think, but looks at it objectively -- will say, 'This is a mess and it needs to be corrected and it needs to be corrected as quickly as we can do it,'" Burch said.
The council voted 8-1 to have Burch form the blue-ribbon committee, with Freeman voting in opposition.
Staff Writer Bill D'Agostino can be e-mailed at bdagostino@paweekly.com.
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