Police Station Update

Claremont's City Council last month settled on its current police station site on Bonita Ave. as the first choice for a new station. Now, they just have to come up with the money.

The new station's cost had been pegged at $25 million last year. Now it's up to $34.5 million or more, depending on if the City stays with the current site or goes with one of the alternate locations at either the Corey Nursery site at Monte Vista Ave. or the strawberry field site at Towne Ave. and Base Line Rd.

With the economy the way it is, there really doesn't seem to be much chance of finding any financing for the station anytime soon. So, for now the City is just lining its ducks up for some unspecified future moment when the fiscal gods seem more giving.

The Daily Bulletin reported on the decisions facing the City Council and gave a breakdown on the costs:

City Manager Jeff Parker said the Bonita Avenue location would cost about $34.5 million to build a new facility since the city already owns the property.

The sites at Towne-Base Line and Monte Vista would cost less to build but the need to acquire the land would raise the final price to above $40 million each, Parker said.

The Towne Ave. site does have the advantage of potentially allowing the City to partner with the city of La Verne to build a joint station that might be cheaper than the combined costs for the two cities to each build their own police facilities. That argument, though, hasn't gained much traction with the CPD or the Claremont 400. Economic realities may force them to take a second look, however.