City of Mesa officials have broken ground on the Northeast Mesa Public Safety Facility, 1333 N. Power Road, that will house a combined fire station and police substation.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in late 2024. Funding for the project comes from voter-approved 2018 public safety bonds and capital general funds, according to a release.

“The addition of this joint facility is an important and strategic investment in Mesa’s public safety operations that will improve response and increase efficiencies in this part of our city,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said in the release. “I appreciate the voters’ confidence in the bond program to ensure Mesa’s police and fire and medical teams are staffed, equipped and prepared to respond to the changing needs of our growing community.”

The Northeast Public Safety Facility will allow Mesa to address future public safety and emergency response needs in an area of projected growth to ensure the city maintains its high level of response and service to the community, the release states.

“The continued growth in the northeast portion of Mesa has resulted in an increased emergency call volume for the surrounding area,” said Councilmember David Luna. “With growth comes more need. Nothing concerns us more than the safety and well-being of our citizens. It is important to ensure our city remains as safe as possible for our residents.”

“As our city grows, so does the demand for public safety. Breaking ground for the future Northeast Mesa Public Safety Facility is exciting because of the potential that it will provide for fire and police. Giving us the ability to better serve our residents,” said Fire and Medical Chief Mary Cameli. “The fire department’s mission is ‘To serve with C.A.R.E. — Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.’ I’d like to express my appreciation to the voters who approved the 2018 public safety bond making this facility possible and helping us achieve this mission.

The approximately 50,000-square-foot facility includes four pull-through apparatus bays for fire and medical vehicles to accommodate up to two fire crews, one battalion crew and one ambulance crew. On the police side, this will be the first substation to open in Mesa in almost 10 years. The new public safety building will house up to 150 uniformed and civilian personnel. Shared-use spaces will include a lobby, a community/training room, a job/task conditioning room and conference rooms.

“It’s exciting to break ground on a new substation in the northeast part of Mesa. The additional substation is a critical, necessary step to serve our growing community,” said Police Chief Ken Cost. “The Northeast Public Safety Facility will allow police and fire to provide the best possible service to the residents of east Mesa. We are so grateful to the citizens of Mesa for their continued support and influence in building this new addition to our community.”

The new public safety facility incorporates numerous energy-efficient elements including appliances, lighting control systems, utilization of natural lighting and use of desert scape with minimal irrigation, the release states.