Construction on the new Santa Barbara County Probation Department building is on track to be completed by fall.
The building at 1019 Garden St. will replace the old building at 117 E. Carrillo St.
Chief Probation Officer Holly Benton said the department plans to move into the new offices and be operational by the end of the year.
It will take some time to furnish the building and make sure everything is working properly, but she expects the transition to be short.
“Once we actually occupy the building, within a week or so, we expect to be up and operational,” Benton said.
A new building was needed because the Carillo Street location is outdated and lacks modern features such as climate control, she explained.
Benton said the new building will also allow the department to better serve clients of all ages because it will be located closer to other services that support both juveniles and adults.
Those includes the Public Defender‘s Office, the District Attorney’s Office and public transportation, among others.
The department will also be able to provide more of its services, such as substance abuse counseling and rehabilitation, under one roof.
“These are all the things that our clients need to be near,” Benton said. “That building allows us to centralize everything in one location for all of that.”
The building will be four stories tall and just under 33,000 square feet. It will have a central courtyard, classrooms, interview rooms and private offices.
It is designed under the county’s Net Zero Energy Ordinance to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It will also be carbon neutral.
The building will not use any natural gas; instead, it will be supported by solar panels and a battery system.
Crews have already completed the building’s concrete foundation and done some interior work.
They’ve also added structural steel, framing, some roofing, plumbing lines, fire sprinkler lines, electrical switchgear and rooftop solar mounts. Up next is drywall, plaster work, windows, doors, ceilings, painting and concrete paving.
The county broke ground on the project in September 2024 with a ribbon-cutting featuring the county Board of Supervisors and other local officials.
Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino praised the new building during the ribbon-cutting, saying it will benefit the community.
“The most important thing is that our clients will be able to come walk through that door and find resources and discover new toolboxes of ways that they can turn around and become productive members of the community,” Lavagnino said. “And that’s a win for all.”
