Riviera Beach approves new police headquarters

The center will rise on city property that was home to Barracuda Bay water park.

Riviera Beach’s City Council has cleared the way to demolish its Barracuda Bay water park on Blue Heron Boulevard and build the city’s long-awaited police headquarters there.

In a series of votes last week, council members approved the site plan and rezoning for the public safety center. Plans include a two-story administrative office building, an evidence building, an outdoor training center and a gun range.

Why it matters: The police have been operating in leased space since last year when they left the police station that was part of Riviera Beach’s aging municipal complex at 600 Blue Heron Blvd.

Context: The new police headquarters is part of the city’s ambitious master plan to rebuild facilities, including City Hall, the water plant, library and athletic complex.

Voters approved a $35 million bond last year for the police station to be built at the Barracuda Bay site.

• Riviera Beach Police Foundation President Billie Brooks, a former council member, urged the council to approve the plans so her organization could start raising money to support it.

Catch up quick: Barracuda Bay opened in 2004. Riviera Beach residents could visit the pool and slides for $3. The center also offered water safety courses and exercise classes for adults.

• The council approved a three-year agreement last week with Rapids Water Park to buy passes for residents.

The city closed Barracuda Bay, at 1621 Blue Heron Blvd., this year to make room for the police station.

• In 2023, the council approved a plan to build a pool as part of the athletic complex envisioned at the old City Hall site. 
• During recent community meetings, residents supported moving the pool instead to Dan Calloway Park on West 10th Street west of Australian Avenue, city records show.
• At its Nov. 3 meeting, the council passed a resolution to allow the pool to be built at Dan Calloway or the athletic complex.

CORE Construction Services will build the police headquarters, which was designed by Boca Raton architects PGAL. 

Friction point: Two council members expressed frustration with city staff about shuttering Barracuda Bay.

• Council member Bruce Guyton said Riviera Beach could be on the hook for $1.5 million from the county under its agreement to operate Barracuda Bay. The city doesn’t yet have a release from the county.
• Council member Glenn Spiritis said a city staff member, whom he did not identify, told him the location of the police station was locked in by the bond vote. He opposed the cost to demolish Barracuda Bay and build another aquatic center somewhere else.

Yes, but: Both council members voted to approve the police station site plan.

What’s next: Joby Balint of PGAL told Stet News that if the council approves the plans on second reading at the Nov. 17 meeting, construction could begin in early 2026.

• The city has estimated that it will take three years to complete the public safety center.
• Until then, the police department offices are at the Port Center office building, 2051 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Of note: The city is soliciting proposals from developers to rebuild the old City Hall site, with presentations by two developers scheduled for Nov. 17.