In Quarters: San Rafael, CA, Public Safety Center

This facility received the Shared Facilities Gold Award in the 2021 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here. 

The San Rafael Public Safety Center is the cornerstone of the city’s strategic plan to replace and/or seismic upgrade all of the city’s essential services buildings. It houses the entire San Rafael Police Department operations and the San Rafael Fire Department’s administration division, emergency operations division, Fire Station No. 51 Engine Company, and the battalion chief’s office and quarters.

The vision for the project was to provide a community asset that facilitates the police and fire departments to  service the community of San Rafael in the event of a major disaster. The center is designed as an “essential facility,” providing seismic enhancements, fire suppression and emergency backup systems that are required to be operational in a major event. The facility optimizes the shared use of space between each department and includes a single public lobby to easily provide services to the community. Share facilities include conference rooms, fitness and break rooms, a training classroom and the emergency operations center. The operational areas of the police department include administration, dispatch, evidence processing and storage, holding and booking, investigations, motors, patrol, patrol support and storage, professional services and records.

The building is designed for a 50-year lifespan via the selection of brick and metal/glass finishes for ease of maintenance and longevity. Sustainability in design is a cornerstone of the facility siting, massing and material selection. The facility achieved a LEED Gold certification.

The exterior design sought to balance both traditional and modern elements, which tie it to the downtown district of San Rafael. The same locally sourced brick color/type that was used for the adjacent city hall was included in this project. Many elements of the previous Fire Station No. 51 were incorporated into the building, including a circular stair, a bell, wrought iron railings, a fire pole and apparatus doors.

Architect/Firm Name: Mary McGrath Architects