The City of Pismo Beach is in the process of replacing the current undersized and antiquated police and fire stations with new stations that will pay homage to the history of the city while also providing its officers and fire personnel with modern, safe, and efficient facilities that will decrease response times and increase public safety.
The existing police and fire stations are located at the corner of Wadsworth Avenue and Bello Street, along with tennis courts and the city’s first grammar school building. In addition to being a school, the building also functioned as City Hall and the police station in the past. Unfortunately, the existing school is in very poor condition, but has played an important role in the design of the project. The new police station will be located where the tennis courts and school are currently. It will be two stories high, with the first-floor front facade featuring a reconstruction of the front of the school to honor its rich history and its important role in the history of the city. The new police station is sized to support current operations with anticipated future needs to support the City for many years to come.
The existing police station will be remodeled into the new fire station with all new fire apparatus bays to support modern equipment. The new fire station will reduce response times by providing sleeping rooms for personnel so they are close to the equipment; currently fire fighters are housed off-site due to a lack of space. The new fire station will provide all of the necessary spaces of a modern fire station and is sized to provide effective and efficient fire services now and into the future.
The exteriors of the new stations are designed to complement each other and create a unified public safety complex. The building design honors the important legacy of the grammar school and the rich history of the location while being respectful of the neighboring community.