Architect, builder chosen for new Redondo Beach police, fire stations

 

By Garth Meyer

Building a new police headquarters and two new fire stations took another step forward Tuesday as the Redondo Beach city council chose Swinerton Builders and L.P.A. Design Studios to bring the projects to reality.

Contracts approved July 7 call for completion of the initial designs, and to set a maximum price for construction.

“This is a big step for us,” said City Manager Mike Witzansky. 

Swinerton, which has built buildings in Southern California since 1888, will work with L.P.A in what is called a “progressive design-build.” The two companies have done more than 30 projects in this format, across 27 years. 

Their first work in Redondo Beach will be for the fire stations, followed closely by the new police station. All will be built at the existing structures’ current locations.

Luke Smude, assistant city manager, gave a presentation to the city council Tuesday, introducing Michele Prata, Swinerton project executive, and Charles Williams, L.P.A. architect.

The city received six bids to build the police station, seven for the fire stations and three for all of the structures combined. City staff scored each written proposal and held interviews  – including 20-minute real-time problem-solving tests – then chose the top-three bidders, and asked for their best and final offers. 

“Throughout this process, we’re looking at best value, skills, expertise and experience,” Smude said. 

Swinerton and L.P.A. will now get started, to decipher a guaranteed maximum cost for each fire station by the end of the year.

The city’s internal work to arrive at this point has included bi-weekly meetings with Police and Fire Department personnel, led by Fire Division Chiefs Brian Regan and Jason May, and Police Lieutuenant Wayne Windman.

The Swinerton/L.P.A. initial contract for Fire Station One and Two is not to exceed $1.6 million, It does not authorize construction – that comes in Phase Two. The police headquarters contract is not to exceed $1.9 million. This work is expected to be done by next February.

Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., asked, ‘what about change orders?’

“(These projects) are designed to minimize that likelihood, as much as possible,” Smude said. 

Prata said that progressive design-build “brings the right experts to the table at the right time, to make the right decisions.”

At the end of Phase One, she said that Swinerton and L.P.A. will put forth “cost certainty, a design and a schedule.”

L.P.A. architect Williams mentioned to the council a recent fire station project he worked on in Buena Park, which came in under budget.

“On time?” asked the city council.

“Yes. I wouldn’t be here if they weren’t on time and on budget,” he said with a smile. 

Prata then showed illustrations of what the new Redondo Beach buildings may look like.

Mayor Jim Light commented that design debates will be held at another time, when official drawings come in.

“We’ll have to manage expectations too,” said City Manager Witzansky. “We don’t have unlimited funds, as you’ve heard me say a couple times tonight.”

City Councilman Scott Behrendt made a motion to approve both contracts, and the council voted 5-0.

The three buildings will be paid for by Measure F.P., a $93 million municipal bond passed in 2024. 

Construction on both fire stations and the police headquarters are expected to begin next summer. ER