Design Contract for Bond 2020 Police Training Academy

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – At today’s regularly scheduled City Council meeting, Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo and the City Council authorized the award of a professional services contract to the local firm Turner Ramirez & Associates, Inc. to provide design, bid, and construction phase services for the Bond 2020 Police Training Academy project, with a total contract value of $1,056,100.00.

In less than six months since voters approved the Bond 2020 Program, the City is moving forward with the additional bond projects. At last week’s Council meeting the Mayor and City Council approved the mass selection of design consultants for all the streets projects. Today, the City is on track with getting the Public Safety projects completed within budget and on time. The current CCPD training facility was purchase by the City in 1981. This facility has outgrown the departments expanding force of 456 cadets/officers and does not have the capacity to accommodate CCPD’s future needs.

The Police Training Academy project was approved by voters with a budget of $1.25 million dollars. This project involves the development of design plans for a turn-key complex and is anticipated to be in the area range of 24,000 to 27,000 square feet located on five acres of the new Del Mar College South Campus. The design includes a two-story building with the following facilities: large training classrooms, administrative offices, resource room, research library, breakroom, physical training spaces to include locker rooms and showers, an outdoor running track, and secure patrol car parking. The police training academy facility will be designed to maintain the campus aesthetics for a unified and cohesive campus. 

The facility’s location on the Del Mar College South Campus brings costs savings benefits to taxpayers. The preconstruction feasibility studies for this project have been completed and paid for by Del Mar College. Additionally, the City will benefit from tapping into the campus’ utilities infrastructure. The Police Training Academy can be utilized not only for the training of cadets but also as a training resource hub for other Coastal Bend police agencies. Lastly, its location on campus is exemplary for promoting and encouraging cadets to pursue continuing education.

The City released the Request for Qualifications for the design of the police academy on December 28, 2020. The City received a total of 13 proposals from engineering firms. Of the 13 proposals that were evaluated, two firms were selected for interviews. The design is anticipated to begin this month.

Residents overwhelmingly supported the Bond 2020 program totaling $75 million in 42 infrastructure projects. All three propositions passed with over 70% approval rating demonstrating high confidence in the City’s ability to deliver essential City services and infrastructure projects. The propositions passed on election day include projects for streets, parks, and public safety improvements. Proposition C – Public Safety projects, includes two projects: Police Training Academy, design only and Fire Station # 3, land acquisition and design only. The public safety projects are located in Council Districts 1 and 5, with the Police Training Academy located at the Del Mar South Campus in Council District 5. The project construction project budget is estimated at approximately $11,000,000.00.

“Moving forward with public safety projects like the new Police Training Academy ensures that our police cadets have the tools they need to protect our community,” said Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo.

To learn more about projects included as part of the Bond 2020 Program, visit www.cctexas.com/bond2020.

For more information, media representatives can contact Public Information Officer Cynthia Garcia at 361-826-3528 or by email at cynthiag2@cctexas.com.