On the northeast corner of Highland and Commonwealth avenues stands the Fullerton police station, a Spanish Colonial Revival architectural building with flat, red tile roofing and colorful glazed ceramic tiles adorning the walls in the courtyard.
Originally built as Fullerton City Hall in July 1941 and known to longtime locals as “Old City Hall,” the building left an impression on Rep. Lou Correa, D-Anaheim, when he was a student at Cal State Fullerton.
“I would usually go to the library in that area,” he said. “And I always marveled at those beautiful buildings.”
But the historic building is badly in need of repair, according to local organizations and law enforcement who work there.
The concrete walls around the sunken courtyard are stained yellow and brown, and the iron rails are severely rusted. Ceramic tiles have broken or fallen off the walls, and large patches of paint are cracked and peeling. Lead paint and asbestos throughout the building pose health concerns while the locker room, shower, jail and holding facilities are too old and insufficient to handle the needs of the department, according to Fullerton Police Chief Robert Dunn.
That’s why Correa and Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, teamed up to request $2.5 million in federal funds for the “remediation of hazardous materials and the restoration of the Fullerton Police Station,” according to Correa’s office.
“We want to help our public safety officers have a better place to work, while keeping the tradition, the ambiance and the beauty of Fullerton,” Correa said.
“These officers are defending us and putting their lives on the line, and we want to help them by making sure they’re working in a properly maintained location,” said Steel.
Of the three showers stalls, one is not usable and is a “hazard for officers” while the other two are being used, albeit in very bad condition, police spokesperson Jon Radus said. The jails, too, are being used but need to be…
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