SANTA ANA : City Widens Search for City Hall Builder

Santa Ana’s plan to expand its City Hall was delayed when the City Council rejected a six-month agreement with a San Diego developer that had received rave reviews from the city’s community development agency.

The council rejected an agreement with Starboard Development, a San Diego private development company, to negotiate for an expansion of City Hall. The council voted 4 to 3 to reject the agreement and schedule a study session on how Santa Ana should select developers for major city projects.

Starboard, which was the sole recommendation by the development agency, would have arranged financing, building design and management plans for the city. The developer had completed San Diego’s police headquarters.

Santa Ana does not have a design for the new building.

The city is seeking to build a three-story extension, about 100,000 square feet, on a site that is occupied by its police annex on Ross Street at the Civic Center. The expansion project would also include a garage on what is surface parking.

Although a price tag has not been discussed, city officials had hoped to build the extension soon because Santa Ana’s planning and building and public works departments are spread out in two other downtown locations.

Councilman John Acosta, who voted to reject the agreement, said the council should be able to choose from a list of several developers. Ten had submitted applications to the city.

Mayor Daniel H. Young, who voted for the agreement, said the agreement would have pushed the expansion project forward without costing the city money. Starboard had submitted a $15,000 fee with the city to qualify as a developer for the expansion project.