This facility received the LE Facilities III Silver award in the 2022 Officer Station Design Awards.
The City of San Marcos Police Headquarters houses the Department’s administrative staff, patrol officers, and detectives. The facility also houses the City’s 911 dispatch, gun training range, physical fitness training, SWAT services, and evidence processing & storage.
The project began as an Architectural and Engineering assessment of the existing building to ascertain overall facility condition, environmental factors, and other system-related issues requiring resolution. Our design team conducted extensive interviews with PD Administration and Staff to establish the amount of additional space needed to accommodate a ten-year growth plan. City Administrators also requested a modern, inviting, and secure interface, encouraging the public to connect with the Police Department.
The final project scope included the modernization of approx. 20,000 square feet of existing space and the addition of approx. 4,200 square feet of building space to accommodate additional office spaces, larger meeting spaces, upgrades to the HVAC & electrical systems, accessibility accommodations, security modernization, and site improvements. Relocating storage to a pre-engineered annex building enabled the expansion of office and training facilities within the main building. The new building addition was strategically placed along the public front of the building to provide the requested modern, secure interface for citizens.
The entry tower with lighted signage creates an iconic recognizable landmark to aid in public wayfinding and stands as a beacon along the highway frontage. The new public lobby provides bullet-resistant protection to staff while still providing an open, welcoming aesthetic adjacent to the new public parking area.
The project was designed to be completed in multiple phases to allow operations to continue throughout construction. Close coordination between the design team, contractors, and the owner was ongoing throughout the project to ensure Police services were not interrupted.
Architect/Firm Name: kga, inc.
