$7.8-million fire station project on Costa Mesa council agenda
Costa Mesa City Council members are scheduled to decide Tuesday whether to award a contract for the long-anticipated reconstruction of an aging fire station on Royal Palm Drive.
City staff recommends the council approve a roughly $7.8-million contract with Orange-based Horizons Construction Co. International for the project, which entails demolishing the roughly 9,500-square-foot station at Royal Palm and Adams Avenue and replacing it with a larger, more modern facility.
Six other bids the city received ranged from just under $8 million to a touch above $9 million, according to city documents.
Fire Station No. 1 was built in 1961 and has become increasingly cramped and worn over the years, city officials say.
City and fire officials have said that various problems with the building’s structure and foundation have left it out of compliance with modern standards and building codes.
Due to the extent of the issues with the facility, city officials determined it would be more cost-effective to build a new station rather than repair or remodel it.
When completed, the new station will be about 11,740 square feet and include a larger fire apparatus bay.
It also will come with 10 firefighter dorm rooms, administrative offices, a kitchen, a dining room, a physical training room, an EMS training room, a mechanic shop area and an emergency medical supply room, according to the city.
Construction is expected to take 12 to 18 months.
During the construction period, the station’s firefighters will operate out of a temporary facility near Adams and Pinecreek Drive.
The interim site will include a modular housing trailer, storage containers and a shelter for the fire engines.
That project, which is expected to cost about $500,000, is expected be complete by the end of this year. The budget includes the anticipated costs of fencing the site, building a concrete driveway and installing utilities.
Tuesday’s council meeting starts at 5:45 p.m. at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.
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