MARIA STIPES was honored at Tuesday’s Garden Grove City Council meeting. She’s retiring after 26 years working with the city. She is currently assistant city manager.

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

A key move toward the “revitalization” of the civic center area was taken Tuesday night when the Garden Grove City Council voted 7-0 to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement for the design of the project.

The action by the council authorizes the city manager  to negotiate the final terms and execute the ENA with the design firm of Edgemoor/Clark/ACMartin. The cost to the city is $3 million.

What’s envisioned is designing a new public safety building of about 90,000 square feet for the use of the police department as well as a parking structure for about 450 spaces to be used by the GGPD and the public.

Proposed so far is constructing the new police building (two to three stories) at the southwest corner of Euclid Street and Acacia Parkway on space now occupied by a portion of the Civic Center Park.

Once the new building is completed, the current police facility will be demolished for the parking structure. The existing fire station will remain in its place and east of that building will be a new public park. 

The Civic Center area is generally located northeast of Euclid Street and Garden Grove Boulevard, south of Stanford Avenue and west of 8th Street.

Most of the funding for the project originated with federal funds appropriated to offset the impact on cities by the coronavirus pandemic.

Also on Tuesday night, the “Community Spotlight” honored Maria Stipe, who is retiring from the position of assistant city manager. She’s been a Garden Grove city employee for 26 years.

“I’m so grateful for having served the city council and community of Garden Grove,” she said. “It’s been quite a ride.”