Construction is beginning on a new building for the Santa Barbara County Probation Department in downtown Santa Barbara that will consolidate services for residents transitioning back into the community.

County officials and local law enforcement gathered on Tuesday for a groundbreaking ceremony at the site, at 1019 Garden St.

Chief Probation Officer Holly Benton said the department is essential to the community and that the building will provide people with the services they need.

“Usually when they come to Probation, court involved [or] justice involved, they’re at the lowest point,” Benton told Noozhawk. “We have an opportunity to help them change their behaviors, reduce their recidivism, so that they don’t come back before the court, and they don’t reoffend.”

The new location will allow clients to check in with probation officers and provide access to other programs, such as counseling for substance abuse, rehabilitation and more. 

Benton also said that the new building will allow the county to streamline its services and consolidate all South County services in one location.

She said the building will replace the two previous buildings, one on Hollister Avenue and one on East Carrillo Street. She added that the the current buildings are not modern or energy-efficient.

“They’re a little challenged in that regard. So, having a modern building where we can … adapt to a modern workplace and have a better ability to bring people in, do some things differently than in the past, especially using technology [and] tools, is a huge benefit for us,” Benton said.

Steve Lavagnino, chair of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, praised the design of the building and said the most important thing will be the help it will provide 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.”

The new location was chosen because it is within walking distance of the courthouse and public transit. The site was previously a county parking lot.

To accommodate the building, the Superior Court juror parking spots have been moved to a new lot at 1021 Santa Barbara St. Some employee parking spots are now at the Garden Street lot, and others are using the County Administration Building lot. 

The Board of Supervisors approved the Probation Department building project in 2020, and General Services expects it to finish construction and open in the fall of 2026.

The estimated project cost is $37.8 million.

According to Kirk Lagerquist, the director of General Services, the building will be a four-story structure and cover a little less than 33,000 square feet.

He also stated that the building will be a net-zero energy facility, and will feature multiple solar panels and a 50-kilowatt battery storage system. It also will include electric vehicle charging stations.

The Probation Department provides juvenile and adult services in Santa Barbara County and operates the Santa Maria Juvenile Hall (Susan J. Gionfriddo Juvenile Justice Center).

Supervision programs include adult probation, the pre-trial release program and the alternative sentencing program.