(Narch 23) Redlands city officials have begun their migration out of the current City Hall within the Redlands Civic Center at 35 Cajon Street to what is to become City Hall over the next two to three generations.
Construction of the 92,000-square-foot, six story building began in 1980 and opened in 1981 as the corporate headquarters for Redlands Federal Savings and Loan. More recently it has become known as the Citibank building and has been redubbed the Citrus Center Building.
For some time, Redlands officials have been contemplating a move out of the current City Hall. In 2008, the Redlands Safety Hall which was built in 1963 and consisted of the city council chambers that were in use until 1994, the police department and the city jail, was shuttered because of concerns about seismic stability and structural flaws, including the presence of asbestos.
Since constructing a new City Hall which would contain a police and fire department headquarters as well as offices for all city departments would likely cost upwards of $30 million, the city in late 2020 made an offer to ESRI, which had acquired the Citibank building, to purchase that edifice, located on the south side of East State Street, between Seventh Street and Eighth Street.
Reportedly, that offer was $15 million, less than half of what city officials would have to pay in architectural, engineering and construction costs alone in building new municipal quarters. ESRI made a counteroffer of $16 million and in June 2021, the city closed a deal with ESRI to purchase the bank building.
While some city residents were opposed to the purchase and conversion, city officials saw multiple advantages to establishing City Hall in the highly visible Redlands Federal Savings and Loan building. It is large enough to contain all of the city’s departments in one place, with room to spare for future growth in those offices. The building itself is also eminently identifiable, as the tallest structure in the city.
Officials believe that for less than $2.5 million, the interior of the building can be adapted to the city’s departments and their varying needs. The council chambers will be located, most likely, on the third floor. By late 2024 and certainly no later than 2025, all of the city’s departments and offices will be relocated into the building.
Renovations and tenant improvements to the fifth and sixth floors have been ongoing for more than 18 months.
This week, City Manager Charles Dugan, Assistant City Manager Chris Boatman, Communications Manager Carl Baker and City Attorney Yvette Abich Garcia began functioning out of the sixth floor of the Citibank Building.