Turner Construction Company has officially broken ground on California’s new Southern Regional Emergency Operations Center, launching construction on a facility that state leaders say will significantly boost disaster preparedness and coordinated crisis response across one of the nation’s most disaster-prone regions.
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The groundbreaking ceremony brought together representatives from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the Department of General Services (DGS), local emergency managers, and Turner’s project team. The event marked the start of a project designed to serve as a frontline command post for earthquakes, wildfires, flooding events, extreme weather, and other emergencies that regularly impact Southern California’s 23 million residents.
Set on a 15-acre portion of the former Fairview Developmental Center campus, the complex will include a 39,000-square-foot operations building and a 21,000-square-foot warehouse, along with full roadway upgrades, new utilities, communications infrastructure, and advanced security systems. The 60,000-square-foot facility is engineered to remain operational under extreme conditions, providing uninterrupted support to regional and local responders.
Joe Pobanz, Project Executive at Turner Construction Company, emphasized the long-term value of the investment. “We’re proud to partner with Cal OES and DGS to deliver a facility that advances California’s emergency response capabilities,” Pobanz said. “Our team is committed to building an efficient, resilient, and sustainable operations center that will serve as a cornerstone for protecting communities across Southern California.”
State officials highlighted how the new center will create faster, more coordinated responses during crises. Cal OES Director Nancy Ward noted the importance of having a large-scale, regionally dedicated hub. “This facility gives us the tools, technology, and space to make coordinated, decisive actions with our local partners—actions that will protect lives and property when disaster strikes,” she said.
Ana M. Lasso, Director of DGS, echoed the significance of expanding emergency management infrastructure. “DGS welcomes the opportunity to partner with Cal OES as we join forces to bring vital state resources closer to the millions of residents who will be served by this innovative new Southern California campus,” Lasso said.
The center is designed around Zero Net Energy (ZNE) and LEED Gold principles, integrating solar arrays, battery storage, and a resilient on-site power system capable of sustaining full operations during grid outages or natural disasters. Energy-efficient systems, hardened building shells, seismic reinforcement, and redundant communications networks reflect the state’s push to modernize emergency management infrastructure amid worsening climate threats.
Inside, the operations building will feature high-tech coordination rooms, situational-awareness monitoring spaces, multi-agency communication pods, logistics support areas, and training environments equipped for year-round readiness. The warehouse will store emergency supplies, disaster-response equipment, and resources deployable to counties and local agencies during fast-moving events.
Once complete, the new center will operate in tandem with the State Operations Center in Mather, giving California a strengthened two-site emergency command system capable of managing simultaneous disasters. Officials say the expanded network will accelerate resource distribution, reduce response delays, and bolster resiliency across Southern California communities that face heightened risks from wildfires and seismic activity.
Construction is scheduled to continue through 2026 and 2027, with completion expected in late 2027.
Originally reported by Turner Construction Company.
