RIVIERA BEACH, Fla.—A long-planned investment in public safety infrastructure is moving forward in South Florida as the City of Riviera Beach has officially broken ground on its new police headquarters campus, a project designed to provide modern operational, training, administrative and evidence-management facilities for the city’s law enforcement personnel.
The project, being delivered through a Design-Build partnership led by CORE Construction and architect PGAL, will create a comprehensive public safety campus on the site of the former Barracuda Bay Aquatic Center at 1621 W. Blue Heron Blvd.
According to project officials, the new headquarters will include a two-story police facility, a dedicated evidence storage building, secure parking and vehicle evidence-storage areas, and an indoor firing range that will support officer training and operational readiness. The campus has been designed to provide resilient infrastructure and modern workspaces capable of supporting the department’s needs well into the future.
The development represents a significant milestone for a department that has been operating from temporary facilities after the city’s previous headquarters, which had served Riviera Beach since 1978, was found to be suffering from substantial mold and structural deterioration. The former building was demolished in 2024, creating the need for a permanent replacement capable of meeting contemporary public safety requirements.
At the heart of the project is a 45,000-square-foot administration building that will serve as the department’s primary operational hub. Supporting that facility will be a 26,000-square-foot storage and evidence warehouse, providing dedicated space for evidence management and long-term storage needs that have become increasingly important components of modern law enforcement operations. An eight-lane indoor firing range will further enhance the department’s ability to conduct recurring training on-site.
The project team views the headquarters as more than a replacement building. During the groundbreaking ceremony, officials emphasized the role the facility will play in strengthening public safety services and supporting the officers and professional staff who serve the community every day.
In remarks shared during the event, project representatives described the facility as an important investment in the future of Riviera Beach, one intended to provide personnel with the modern resources and infrastructure they deserve. The Design-Build team also recognized the contributions of Michael Coleman, chief of the Riviera Beach Police Department, and numerous project partners who helped bring the development from concept to construction.
For justice facility professionals, the project reflects broader trends occurring across the public safety sector. Increasingly, agencies are pursuing campus-style developments that consolidate headquarters operations, evidence management, vehicle storage, training functions, and secure support spaces within a single coordinated environment. Riviera Beach’s new headquarters follows that model, creating a purpose-built law enforcement campus rather than a standalone administrative building.
Funding support for the project comes in part from a voter-approved bond initiative, and city officials have indicated the development is expected to require approximately 36 months to complete once construction is fully underway.
When complete, the new Riviera Beach Police Headquarters will provide a modern foundation for law enforcement operations while positioning the department to serve a growing community for decades to come.
