The look and landscaping of a new Mesa police, fire and medical public safety facility recently was approved by the Mesa Design Review Board.
The board on Sept. 13 voted 5-0 to approve the design for the facility north of Brown Road on the east side of Power Road. Board member Justin Trexler abstained as he had previously worked for the architect for the project, Architekton. Board member Dane Astle was absent.
“I think it’s a beautiful project — very well done, well organized. Really actually appreciate the material palette. Very timeless and it’s an exciting project,” Chairman Paul Johnson said.
Materials and colors include solar-gray insulated glass, champagne-metallic metal soffit panels, slate-gray metal vertical seam panels, industrial brown Thermacore overhead doors and anodized dark bronze storefronts, according to a city document.
Funding is to come from the 2018 public safety bond program, a city employee said at an Aug. 9 design review board meeting where the project was discussed.
A 50,434-square-foot building with a police substation and a fire station, a community room and parking areas are to be constructed on property that is currently vacant, Staff Planner Cassidy Welch said at the board’s Sept. 13 meeting.
An access at the back to Granada Road is no longer planned, she said.
“So that will be removed and that will all be landscaping,” Welch said. “In the public safety zoning district there are no design standards. However, the elevations were reviewed by city stakeholders, the city manager and the city council and they were all in support of the proposed elevations. As well, the elevations meet the quality development design guidelines.”
Aaron Stouffer of Architekton is the applicant. City of Mesa is the owner.
The project will have common spaces that will be shared by the police and fire departments, according to a written project narrative.
“The character of the Northeast Public Safety Facility is to create a modern aesthetic focused on high-quality materials that promote a timeless design with a neighborhood feel. The concept was inspired by the surrounding desert mesas with a three-tiered massing scheme that creates a quality of permanence and strength within the desert landscape resembling the presence of the new facility within the community,” it states.
The Northeast Public Safety Facility at 1333 N. Power Road will combine a new 14,937-square-foot fire/medical services station with a new 28,743-square-foot police substation and also have 6,754 square feet of common spaces that will be shared by the police and fire departments, it states.
“The police substation will house a patrol unit, street crimes unit, criminal investigations unit, holding, evidence drop, administration and support facilities. The police side is programmed for maximum occupancy of 150 personnel,” it states. “The fire/medical station will contain an apparatus bay (for four vehicles), dormitories, living areas and administration. The fire/medical side is programmed for 14 personnel.”
The all-volunteer Mesa Design Review Board is unique in that its composition is set by the zoning ordinance to include two architects; two from other design professions such as landscape architecture, engineering, urban planning, interior design or other design-related background; one contractor or developer; and two residents, according to the city’s website.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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