Ignacio Fire Station 64, Part 1: $8 Million Budget for Rebuild

A project budget for the rebuild of Ignacio Fire Station 64 has been set at $8 million dollars – reduced from the initial $11 million dollar estimate, according to Deputy Chief Eric Nickel with the Novato Fire Protection District.

The fire district's board set the tentative budget at its strategy session on Feb. 8.

“It’s important to note that a design has not yet been selected, just the tentative budget,” stated Nickel in an email.

“The board’s goal is to live within our means, and to be conservative with the community’s money while providing the community with a state-of-the-art fire station that will last 50 or more years,” he added.

The costs covered by the budget will include new construction of the station and the temporary relocation of the personnel. Also included is demolition of the old station, which requires special handling of the building materials, according to Nickel.

The original building was constructed in the mid-70s and anchored into concrete with wood timbers that Nickel likens to  “telephone poles.”  Those who have been inside say the building’s design is reminiscent of a tree house.

“The old poles – they have to go to a special dump because they contain creosote,” Nickel said.

Setting the scope of the budget is just the beginning in what Nickel says will likely be a two-year process to complete the new 7,500-square-foot, LEED silver standard, “essential services facility.”

The project is expected to go through all the standard design development, construction drawings, public review and city approvals, Nickel said.

“We go through the same permitting process – with public hearings with the community,” Nickel said.

Kitchell CEM, a Sacramento-based construction management firm, will be overseeing the project. The company has done work for the Buck Center for Research on Aging and is also construction/project manager for the City of Novato Adminstrative Offices project.

Existing Station Doesn't Meet Code

All this planning is being put in place for a station that is the second busiest in the district, serving the Novato area south of Highway 37 and Novato Boulevard.

The team also responds to calls in Marinwood and San Rafael, according to the fire district’s website.

Nickels said that fire stations are built today to a higher code – requiring that the building is capable of remaining operational after an earthquake of a 7.0 magnitude.

“Engineering studies show the current building would not withstand it – it would collapse – and in key spots could trap firefighters,” said Nickel.

Nickel points to other problems like water leakage and rot – the same problems he said have occurred with other buildings, built at the same time and with similar materials, like the older structures at Indian Valley College.

Remodeling versus rebuilding was an option that was initially reviewed but the remodel costs were starting to approach the costs to rebuild costs when factoring in how long the remodel would last, said Nickel.

“The board made a policy decision that we’re going to rebuild given that the construction costs and financing costs are lower right now,” he said.