After seven years of planning, city officials broke ground Monday morning on the La Jolla Shores lifeguard tower at Kellogg Park. The project is a total replacement of the existing structure.

"This project will be a San Diego landmark," said Jihad Sleiman, city of San Diego associate civil engineer and project manager. "It will provide to the lifeguard staff and beach-going public a state of the art facility."

The project not only provides a larger facility for lifeguards but includes an observation tower over the promenade with a 270 degree view of the Shores, a first-aid room, male and female locker rooms, equipment garage and an open floor plan for administrative activities.

Sleiman said the city will first secure the area where construction will take place and then begin grading shortly after.

In addition, the $3.8 million La Jolla Shores lifeguard station project will include upgrades to Kellogg Park. The project will remove 18,000 square feet of asphalt and replace it with permeable pavers. The benefits of the impervious surface include improved drainage, new landscaping and new curb ramps.

"Today the contract has been issued and construction will start," said San Diego Councilwoman Sherri Lightner.

Lightner, whose district includes La Jolla, said the city had input from numerous community meetings.

Sleiman said the general contractor selected for the 1,485-square-foot station and associated parking lot is St. Thomas Enterprises.

Also in attendance at the groundbreaking were the La Jolla Shores Association, La Jolla Community Planning Association and the San Diego lifeguards.

The existing lifeguard station will be demolished. However, lifeguards will continue to use the current facility until the new building is completed in December 2011.