Title
Workshop to Discuss the City of Alameda’s Infrastructure and Facility Needs Regarding Major Civic and Fire Facilities and Provide Feeback on the City Facilities Plan Preliminary Findings and Recommendations. (City Manager)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, 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. This workshop is the second in a series of four to update the City Council and the public on the City’s infrastructure and facilities for both existing and future needs; discuss strategies to address these needs; and promote greater local financial control in response to federal funding uncertainties. This report provides an overview of the condition of several City facilities, discusses and recommends site location and upgrade options for each facility, and seeks City Council feedback on next steps. A Facilities Plan is being developed to assess existing conditions, analyze operational needs and recommend options. The following facilities are included in the Facilities Plan for further discussion with City Council:
• Animal Shelter
• Fleet Service Garage
• Maintenance Service Center
• Recreation and Parks Corporation Yard
• Fire Station 1 and its adjacent Fire Administration Building; Fire Stations 2, 4, and 5; and the Fire Training Facility
These significant operational facilities were included in the Facilities Plan due to the necessity for comprehensive space planning, siting, and feasibility analysis because the existing aging and outdated facility does not comply with current professional or seismic standards combined with an increasing demand for services and impacts on nearby residential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.
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 City 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.
Deferred Maintenance Needs and Projects to Prepare for the Future
For many years, the City has had a backlog of maintenance and facility upgrades necessary to meet current standards and future projected needs. These collective needs are being discussed through a series of four public City Council workshops focused on the following subjects:
• Streets and Traffic Safety (September 2, 2025)
• City Facilities and Public Safety (October 7)
• Libraries, Recreation and Parks (November 4)
• Flood Protection, Sea Level and Ground Water Rise, and Disaster Preparedness (December 2)
City Facilities Plan Underway
In September 2024, staff released a request for proposals (RFP) to engage a consulting team 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 Design Group (RRM) in December 2024. RRM specializes in architectural, design, and other project management work, as well as 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.
RRM prepared detailed studies and analysis that form the basis of the facility assessments summarized in the Discussion section below and attached Presentation. Based on Council and community feedback this evening, RRM will prepare the full report and return to City Council for approval at a subsequent meeting. These major operational facilities were selected for the Facilities Plan because they require in-depth space planning, siting and feasibility analysis due to the aging existing buildings not meeting current professional or seismic standards, requirements to address increasing demand for services from service growth and new development, and impacts to encroaching residential uses.
The current study 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 for a new fire station at Alameda Point.
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 initial findings presented in greater detail below.
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 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 $300 million (in 2029 dollars which is 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. An estimated cost range for each facility upgrade is also provided.
Civic Facilities
|
Facility/Grade |
Overall Facility/ Site 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 campus |
$40.6M |
|
Maintenance Service Center
(Fortmann Way) |
C |
• Limited space and outdated facilities |
Remodel and expand to existing Fleet and Animal Shelter area |
$16.0M |
|
Recreation & Parks Corporation Yard
(Scattered Sites at Alameda Point |
D |
• Substandard buildings and constrained yard operations. |
Relocate to combined campus |
$66.9M |
|
Animal Shelter
(Fortmann Way) |
F |
• Constrained space and aging facilities |
Relocate to combined campus or alternative standalone location elsewhere in the City |
$25.6M |
|
Total: |
$149.1M |
|
*Grade A: Very good – near or nearly new; Grade B: Good – well-maintained; adequately meets needs; Grade C: Usable aging facility with deferred maintenance issues; Grade D: Poor – usable, but significantly aged with significant deferred maintenance and beyond capacity; and Grade F: Very poor – not recommended for intended use.
**The preliminary costs shown have been escalated to incorporate assumptive increases in construction and related costs using 2029 dollars, i.e., the probable construction year. |
There is a significant deficit in square footage in both building and site locations for each civic facility which underscores the need for building relocations and/or upgrades at existing locations to support current operations and future needs.
Fire Facilities
|
Facility |
Overall Facility/ Site 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 |
Expand into Administration Wing area and relocate current Admin to Station 5 or Training Facility, and/or lease existing building space |
$11.3M (Station 1)
$20.4M (Admin) |
|
Fire Station 2
(West End) |
C |
• Historic, but undersized and outdated and lacking modern health, safety, and operational features; structural upgrades |
Remodel in place |
$10.6M |
|
Fire Station 4
(Bay Farm) |
B |
• Ample site space but reconfiguration needed to support modern contamination control, better fitness and kitchen facilities, and gender-inclusive arrangements
• Recommended structural upgrades |
Remodel in place |
$10.0M |
|
Fire Station 5
(Alameda Point) |
D |
• Currently, not staffed as a fire station
• Historic, but cannot meet modern standards and will require replacement; potential structural upgrades |
Relocate Station 5 to new site |
$46.2M
|
|
Fire Training Facility
(Alameda Point) |
D |
• Historic, but cannot meet modern standards and will require replacement |
Build new Training Facility on enlarged existing site |
$53.5M |
|
Total: |
$151.9M |
|
*Grade A: Very good – near or nearly new; Grade B: Good – well-maintained; adequately meets needs; Grade C: Usable aging facility with deferred maintenance issues; Grade D: Poor – usable, but significantly aged with significant deferred maintenance and beyond capacity; and Grade F: Very poor – not recommended for intended use.
**The preliminary costs shown have been escalated to incorporate assumptive increases in construction and related costs using 2029 dollars, i.e., the probable construction year. |
As shown in the table above, the City’s fire facilities above, except for Fire Station 3 which opened in 2017, are mainly older structures that require a combination of expansion, building upgrades, and relocation to address health and safety concerns, seismic standards, modernization, and operational efficiency.
Site Analysis and Options
The RRM study includes a detailed site fit analysis for each civic and fire facility (including square footage deficiencies) as well as providing potential options for each facility that will be presented when this report is considered by City Council. RRM’s recommended options are summarized below.
• 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: While the existing MSC building itself may be adequate in size, the overall facility is outdated for modern operations and, more importantly, the site is constrained and insufficient to accommodate equipment, vehicles, and operations. Additionally, the MSC’s current site is centrally located to adequately service the City, which is crucial to the efficient operations of the MSC. The recommended option for the MSC is to remodel the existing building and expand to the current Fleet Service Garage and Animal Shelter site once those are moved to a combined campus.
• 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. RRM 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 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.
• 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 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 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, RRM 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 4 remodel in place: Fire Station 4 requires reconfiguration to support improved facilities, contamination control and gender inclusive facilities. RRM recommends remodel of Station 4 at its existing site.
Staff seeks feedback from City Council on RRM’s findings and recommendations. Based on this feedback, RRM will develop a phasing and implementation plan and prepare a final report for City Council consideration and approval at a subsequent meeting.
Community Update and Next Steps
The City is committed to engaging the community about the City’s civic and fire facility and facilities needs and exploring potential funding solutions. The timeline below details next steps:
August-December 2025
Stronger Together Webpage:
The City website, www.alamedaca.gov/strongertogether, includes information about the City’s infrastructure needs and the series of four City Council workshops, and the opportunity for Alameda residents and businesses to share feedback directly with staff that will be compiled and shared with the City Council.
Social Media and Nextdoor Posts: In addition to posts about the City’s facility needs, the City is sharing additional information about the City’s significant infrastructure needs on social media, culminating with each of the four City Council work sessions being held between September 2 and December 2.
Following the fall engagement efforts, the City will work with FM3 Research to draft a statistically significant community poll to determine if there has been a shift in priorities over the last year and identify the community’s most pressing needs.
January-April 2026
Staff will conduct in-person and online community engagement, using online surveys, social media posts, email bulletins, and direct mail to gather more detailed resident input on project proposals. Based on this comprehensive outreach and the feedback received, the City Council will be better positioned to determine whether 2026 is the right time to proceed with a revenue measure to address these pressing infrastructure and facility needs.
ALTERNATIVES
• Discuss Alameda’s infrastructure and facility needs regarding civic and fire facilities and provide feedback on preliminary findings and recommendations on the City of Alameda Facilities Plan.
• Provide alternative feedback and direction on the City Facilities Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact to the City from discussing Alameda’s infrastructure and facility needs regarding civic and fire facilities. However, identifying funding sources (such as infrastructure bonds or similar funding mechanisms) would be subject to future City Council approval.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The City of Alameda’s Strategic Plan includes strategic priorities and projects to improve Alameda’s civic and fire facility and infrastructure needs. These include 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.
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
Discuss Alameda’s infrastructure and facility needs regarding civic and fire facilities and provide feedback on the City Facilities Plan preliminary findings and recommendations.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Ott, City Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
cc:
Nicholas Luby, Fire Chief,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
Justin Long, Alameda Recreation and Park Director