City agrees on purchase price for new PD substation

This former medical office building is scheduled to be the new Menifee PD substation in Sun City. (Staff photos)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

The Menifee City Council last week approved an agreement with Ahura Investments to purchase a former medical office building to serve as the new Menifee Police Department substation in Sun City.

Since 2018, the City of Menifee has had a substation at a different location in the Cherry Hills Plaza – first as a Sheriff’s Department substation, then as a Menifee PD substation since July 2020. According to a city document approved by the City Council last week, the PD has outgrown the current leased facility and is in need of more office and parking space.

After a search of limited properties available in the Sun City area, the City agreed on a $1 million purchase price for a 2,400-square-foot building at 27188 Sun City Blvd., adjacent to a Vons supermarket. The facility has room for 14 parking spaces, nine private rooms, a large meeting room and a lobby.

The purchase is scheduled to come back to the council for final approval at its April 6 meeting, which follows a period of inspections and due diligence regarding the transaction.

For several years, the building housed a medical supply business. Later, it was briefly used as a pain management clinic before the City revoked the business’ temporary certificate of occupancy following a police investigation into alleged methadone sales at the clinic. An appeal by Inland Pain Specialists was denied by the Planning Commission and City Council in November 2020. The property has remained vacant since then.

The substation gives Menifee PD a presence in the Sun City core community and provides an office for the public to pay fees and purchase permits. It is manned by community service officers.

The site has more parking space and inside office space than the current facility.

The current police substation leased facility has limited parking and office space.