Fire District Picks Sacramento Firm to Oversee Ignacio Station Rebuild

The Board of Directors voted 5-0 on Wednesday to select Sacramento-based Kitchell CEM to oversee the rebuilding of Station 64 in Ignacio, which is rife with structural defects.

The fire board interviewed and reviewed two finalists vying for the project, which attracted 23 proposals from companies bidding for the job. Kitchell, which also worked on the for Age Research in Novato, got the nod over Concord-based Harris & Associates following one-hour presentations to the board Wednesday.

The project, expected to cost $5 milliont to $7 million, entails a total rebuild of the station at 319 Enfrente Road, which serves the Bel Marin Keys and Ignacio areas and often aides on calls in Marinwood. The station is the second busiest in Novato, according to the district’s website.

The station, built in 1976, houses one paramedic engine company staffed by a captain, an engineer and a firefighter/paramedic, according to the website. Two firefighter/paramedics staff the Advanced Life Support paramedic ambulance based at the station.

Deputy Chief Eric Nickel said Kitchell’s project management team is a perfect fit for the fire district.

“Their passion for this community was evident in their presentation,” he said. “They received very high marks in terms of their capacity for project support, and delivering projects under budget and ahead of schedule.”

The fire district said Kitchell’s specialty teams bring their expertise in managing a wide range of public sector and public safety projects.

Kitchell has supported several projects in Marin County including the Buck Institute, the Marin County Public Safety Building in Marin City, Twin Cities police facility in Larkspur and the Marin County Civic Center seismic retrofit.

The need to replace Station 64 resulted from findings of engineering and seismic studies that showed significant structural defects that needed to be addressed quickly. The station also does not have adequate space for its personnel, gear and vehicles. After reviewing studies and a cost-benefit analysis, the fire board made the decision last year to rebuild the station from scratch after considering a $1.5 million renovation to have the building last a few more years.

After the selection, the board directed district staff to begin negotiating the scope of services and contract terms. The board is expected to consider and approve the contract in March.