Title
Recommendation to Accept the Alameda City Facilities Plan Including Interim and Long-Term Plans and Strategies to Address Infrastructure Needs for City Facilities and Public Safety Buildings. (City Manager)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Gerry Beaudin, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda’s (City) aging and deteriorating infrastructure, including civic and fire facilities, requires significant investment in current and future needs. Addressing these infrastructure needs requires a long-term strategic approach to best serve the City’s residents and visitors.
On October 7, 2025, the second of four workshops was held to update the City Council and the public on the City’s infrastructure and facilities for both existing and future needs and discussed strategies to address these needs and promote greater local financial control in response to federal funding uncertainties. This workshop focused on certain City facilities and public safety buildings, including an overview of facility conditions and discussion of recommended site location and upgrade options for each facility, as contained in a preliminary report prepared by RRM Design Group (RRM). The facilities assessed in the Alameda City Facilities Plan (Facilities Plan) include:
• Animal Shelter
• Fleet Service Garage
• Maintenance Service Center
• Recreation and Parks Corporation Yard
• Fire Station 1 and the adjacent Fire Administration Building; Fire Stations 2, 4, and 5; and the Fire Training Facility
Based on feedback provided by City Council at the October workshop and ongoing collaboration with staff, RRM developed a phasing and implementation plan that is included in the final Facilities Plan report. The proposed Facilities Plan is broken down into two interim planning and implementation phases and three additional phases with suggested funding options that include a combination of project funds through the Capital Improvement Project fund, a potential infrastructure bond, and, in the case of the animal shelter, donor funds to augment bond funding. The final report and its appendix are included in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.
BACKGROUND
The City’s Strategic Plan identifies a vision, strategic priorities, as well as projects that are the specific actions the City needs to take to achieve each strategic priority and work toward realizing the vision. This Facilities Plan primarily addresses the priority to Enhance Community Safety & Services, Projects #21 and #23 to address new fire and training facilities and the priority to Practice Fiscally Responsible, Equitable & Inclusive Governance, Project #15 to explore a potential infrastructure bond.
City Facilities Plan
In September 2024, staff released a request for proposals (RFP) to conduct a facilities study to evaluate building and siting conditions and develop recommended options for the civic and fire facilities discussed in this staff report. Following the evaluation process, City Council approved an agreement with RRM in December 2024. RRM specializes in architectural, design, and other project management work, and has significant experience in future space planning, relocation, and siting assessments and architectural and engineering analysis related to both rehabilitation and new construction of similar facilities, including public works and fire facilities.
The Facilities Report focuses on the Animal Shelter, Fleet Service Garage, Maintenance Service Center, Recreation and Parks Corporation Yard, Fire Station 1 and the adjacent Fire Administration Building; Fire Stations 2, 4, and 5; and the Fire Training Facility. These major operational facilities were selected for the Facilities Plan because they require in-depth, comprehensive space planning, siting and feasibility analysis because the existing aging, outdated buildings do not meet current professional or seismic standards combined with an increasing demand for services and impacts on nearby residential developments. Additionally, the level of effort required for upgrades to these facilities exceeds the capacity of the City’s annual Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process RRM prepared detailed studies and analysis that form the basis of the facility assessments and incorporated City Council and community feedback provided at the October 7, 2025 City Council workshop (staff report <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7682783&GUID=D6324B18-1165-4EE6-AFF7-4C0ACD05D920&FullText=1>.).
The Facilities Plan follows several condition/risk/standards of coverage assessments conducted since 2007. In chronological order, these include a fire station location update study (2007), facility condition assessments for the animal shelter, fire stations 1, 2, 4, and 5, and City maintenance facilities (2015-16), and a community risk assessment (CRA) and standards of cover (SOC) deployment analysis for the Fire Department (AP Triton, LLC, 2022-24). The CRA/SOC identified existing and future fire facility issues, including the need the return of an operating fire station at Alameda Point (Fire Station 5).
To support the RRM work, the City also contracted with AP Triton for supplemental operational analysis to evaluate potential locations for a new Fire Station 5 site. The preliminary conclusions are integrated into the Facilities Plan recommendations and are included in the Appendix.
DISCUSSION
RRM’s evaluation focused on certain aging and deteriorating civic and fire facilities, including overviews of existing facility and site conditions, assessment of actual space needs and potential solutions for upgrading each facility. As part of its analysis, RRM evaluated options for future space planning, as well as siting and feasibility analyses associated with the civic and fire facilities. The facilities and the locations were evaluated based on capacity, condition, location, and context.
Overall, the key findings of RRM’s analysis include the following:
• The civic and fire facilities studied are generally outdated, undersized, and insufficient for modern operational efficiency and effectiveness;
• Upgrades are necessary to fire facilities to address health and safety concerns, seismic standards, operational efficiencies, and modernization;
• Some facilities are appropriately sited, including the Maintenance Service Center; Fire Stations 1, 2 and 4; and the Fire Training Center;
• Some facilities are recommended to be relocated, including the Fleet Service Center, Recreation & Parks Corporation Yard, Animal Shelter, and Fire Station 5, largely due to existing building/site location size and condition and, in the case of the Animal Shelter, incompatibility with adjacent residential uses; and
• Building upgrades are estimated to cost approximately $342.4 million (based on 2029 construction costs, an escalated amount based on likely construction and related costs at the probable time of construction).
Brief summaries of the facility assessments are included below, grouped by civic facilities, then by fire facilities. Each table provides the overall grade assigned to each civic facility’s building and site and includes the recommended option for relocating and/or upgrading. The estimated cost for each facility includes construction costs, soft costs and cost escalation to midpoint of construction.
Civic Facilities
|
Facility |
Facility Grade |
Overall Condition |
Recommended Option |
Preliminary Cost Est. |
|
Fleet Service Garage (Grand at Clement) |
D |
• Outdated, undersized facility • Poorly suited for today’s larger, more complex vehicles |
Relocate to combined civic campus |
$46.6M |
|
Maintenance Service Center (Fortmann Wy) |
C |
• Limited space and outdated facilities |
Remodel and expand into existing Fleet and Animal Shelter area |
$21.1M |
|
Recreation & Parks Corporation Yard (Scattered sites at Alameda Point) |
D |
• Substandard buildings and constrained yard operations |
Relocate to combined civic campus |
$42.3M |
|
Animal Shelter (Fortmann Wy) |
F |
• Constrained space and aging facilities |
Relocate to combined campus |
$68.8M |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$178.8M |
Fire Facilities
|
Facility |
Facility Grade |
Overall Condition |
Recommended Option |
Preliminary Cost Est. |
|
Fire Station 1 and Adjoining Administration Wing (East End) |
B |
• Undersized, outdated, and poorly configured for modern firefighting, EMS operations, and contamination control • Need to consolidate administrative functions for operational efficiency • Recommended structural upgrades • Poorly suited for today’s larger, more complex vehicles |
Expand into Administration Wing area and relocate current Admin to Station 5 or Training Facility, and/or lease existing building space |
$30.7M |
|
Fire Station 2 (West End) |
C |
• Historic, but undersized and outdated • Lacking modern health, safety and operational features • Structural upgrades |
Remodel in place |
$11.5M |
|
Fire Station 4 (Bay Farm) |
D |
• Ample site space but reconfiguration needed to support modern contamination control, better fitness and kitchen facilities, and gender-inclusive arrangements • Structural upgrades |
Remodel in place |
$5.1M |
|
Fire Station 5 (Alameda Point) |
D |
• Currently not staffed as a fire station • Historic, but cannot meet modern standards and requires replacement |
Relocate to new site |
$54.7M |
|
Fire Training Facility (Alameda Point) |
D |
• Historic, but cannot meet modern standards and requires replacement |
Build new Training Facility on enlarged current site, reusing some existing buildings |
$61.6M |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$163.6M |
Site Analysis, Options Development, and Phasing Plan
The RRM study includes a detailed site fit analysis for each civic and fire facility (including square footage deficiencies) as well as providing the following options for each facility.
• Animal Shelter, Fleet Service Garage and Recreation & Parks Corporation Yard relocation to combined campus: Given the relative age/condition, substandard building and site sizes, and impacts on adjacent residential uses, it is recommended that these facilities be relocated to Alameda Point and combined into one campus. There is also the potential that the Animal Shelter facility could be a standalone facility elsewhere in the City if an alternative site is donated or acquired.
• Maintenance Service Center (MSC) remodel and expansion: Remodel the existing facility and expand into City-owned land after the adjacent Fleet Service Garage and Animal Shelter are moved to the combined campus. This allows MSC to remain in a central location for effective response time to Public Works’ emergencies.
• Fire Station 1 expansion and adjoining Administration wing relocation: Fire Station 1 and its adjoining Fire Administration building are undersized, outdated, and poorly configured for modern firefighting, EMS operations, and contamination control as well as fire administration functionality. Both also require possible seismic upgrades. These factors hinder operational efficiency, health, and safety. To address these challenges, the Facilities Plan recommends expanding Fire Station 1 at the existing site by relocating the Administration wing to a new Station 5 or Training Facility location or a commercial leased space.
• Fire Station 2 remodel and upgrade: Fire Station 2, built over 100 years ago, could be considered for full replacement. However, given the Fire Department’s broader facility needs, lack of available land and fiscal priorities, the recommended strategy is to remodel the existing station and complete seismic upgrades to ensure resiliency. This approach will extend the life of the facility until the City is able to fund a full replacement. To support this plan, Truck 2, currently housed at Station 2, will be relocated to the new Station 5 once construction is complete. This relocation will reduce the number of assigned staff and apparatus at Station 2, improving operational efficiency and creating flexibility to remodel portions of the station. Planned improvements will focus on addressing health and wellness needs and alleviating existing space constraints. The relocation of Truck 2 to a new Station 5 was analyzed by AP Triton and determined to not adversely impact national standards for response times.
• Fire Station 4 remodel in place: Fire Station 4 requires reconfiguration to support improved facilities, contamination control and gender inclusive facilities. The Facilities Plan recommends remodel of Station 4 at its existing site.
• New Fire Station 5 relocation and expansion of current Fire Training Facility: Located at Alameda Point, the current Fire Station 5 building serves as the City’s fire training base. The current building cannot be upgraded to meet seismic standards and has substandard training facilities that must be replaced onsite or relocated. The Facilities Plan recommends relocating Fire Station 5 to a nearby location or another Alameda Point location and this is supported by the AP Triton supplemental analysis noted above. The existing Fire Station 5 building and site would be reused and rebuilt/remodeled as a new Training Facility. There were other sites evaluated for a combined Station 2 and Station 5 near Webster Street but were operationally infeasible based on operational analysis conducted by AP Triton.
Based on feedback provided by City Council at the October workshop and ongoing collaboration with staff, RRM developed a phasing and implementation plan that is included in the final Facilities Plan. The plan is broken down into five planning and implementation timeframes over the next eight years with suggested funding options that include a combination of project funds through the CIP and an infrastructure bond, and, in the case of the animal shelter, donor funds to augment bond funding. The five planning/implementation timeframes include two interim phases occurring between 2025 and 2029, and three major project phases occurring between 2029 and 2033.
Some important steps can be taken as soon as feasible to implement this plan to:
• Identify funding in operating or Capital Improvement Plan budgets for interim Fire Administration relocation and Recreation and Parks modular facilities.
• Further investigate the viability, feasibility and location for an interim Fire Station 5 and interim Recreation and Parks Corporation Yard at Alameda Point.
• Conduct focused technical studies on specific sites, particularly at Alameda Point. Evaluation of issues such as geotechnical conditions, groundwater levels and soil stability at specific sites is needed to confirm feasibility for new Fire Station 5.
• Incorporate a phased allotment into the proposed City Infrastructure Bond Measure and include funding in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan over the next ten years.
ALTERNATIVES
• Accept the final Alameda City Facilities Plan
• Provide alternative feedback and direction on the Alameda City Facilities Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact to the City from accepting the final Alameda City Facilities Plan. However, identifying funding sources (such as infrastructure bonds or similar funding mechanisms) would be subject to future City Council approval. Additionally, proposed CIP project funding will be considered as part of the biennial budget process.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The City of Alameda’s Strategic Plan includes strategic priorities and projects that would improve Alameda’s infrastructure and facility needs regarding civic and fire facilities, including Enhance Community Safety & Services Project #21 and #23 addressing new fire and training facilities and Practice Fiscally Responsible, Equitable & Inclusive Governance Project #15 regarding exploring a potential infrastructure bond.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the Alameda City Facilities Plan including interim and long-term plans and strategies to address infrastructure needs for City Facilities and Public Safety Buildings.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Assistant City Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Alameda City Facilities Plan
2. Alameda City Facilities Plan Appendix