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Report regarding a Fire Station 63 project update and two resolutions approving amendments to the Consulting Services Agreements with Kitchell CEM for program and construction management services and SmithGroup, Inc. for architectural design services for the Civic Campus Projects. (Jacob Gilchrist, Director of Capital Projects)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council receive a report regarding a Fire Station 63 project update and approve two resolutions to approve amendments to the Consulting Services Agreements with Kitchell CEM for program and construction management services and SmithGroup, Inc. for architectural design services for the Civic Campus Projects.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Since 2015, Staff has worked to replace Fire Station 63 as part of the Community Civic Campus initiative. This report advances that effort by providing a schematic design update and recommendation for contract amendment for the consultant project management and architecture teams.
HISTORY OF FIRE STATION 63
The existing Fire Station 63 has been in service at 33 Arroyo Drive since it was relocated from 1165 El Camino Real in the late 1970s. This relocation resulted from a needs assessment for the facility as the Fire Department was adapting to growth and development in the Buri Buri, Serra Highlands, and Brentwood neighborhoods. The current facility was not the preferred choice due to size constraints, limited functionality, design limitations, and dependency on an existing building’s mechanical systems. The site was home to an automotive repair and tire replacement facility before conversion into a fire station.
This location was presented as temporary while a permanent and more adequately sized location could be identified. Initially, storage was not as much of an issue, but this changed in 1997 with the addition of a second paramedic ambulance placed into service. This resulted in a staffing increase for Station 63 from three to five. The new location did provide an operational benefit by remaining in the same general location as the original fire station.
As the building was not designed as a fire station, efforts were made to provide the functionality needed for continuous occupancy. With space at a premium, all areas of the building were undersized. Fire engines were modified to avoid colliding with the station’s exterior when backing into the apparatus bay. No additional equipment, such as reserve fire hose, reserve ladders, and power tools could be stored at Fire Station 63 due to lack of space. This further stressed our other four stations’ storage capacity, already taxed with supporting equipment such as specialized personal protective equipment washing machines and dryers and refilling systems for self-contained breathing apparatus bottles.
Fire Station 63’s operational constraints were identified in the early 1990s and attempts to address them were unsuccessful. The operational constraints fell into four general categories:
1. Seismic stability of the fire station and adjoining components of the MSB
2. Size/Space/Functionality
3. Support Systems (HVAC, Water, Emergency Generator)
4. Health of living space
For reference, the below table shows relative fire station square footage by personnel for all five South San Francisco Fire Stations:
The limited station footprint does not meet the needs and requirements of a modern fire station. The station’s garage consists of two single deep bays that can only house two vehicles (one engine and one ambulance). This limitation prohibits the storage of additional apparatus at Fire Station 63, requiring other fire stations to house all reserve and support vehicles. With finite storage at the other four fire stations, numerous (2 engines, 2 ambulances, 3 support vehicles) vehicles are stored outside and deteriorate at a faster rate due to weather exposure. The apparatus bay design requires both assigned units to back into the station in an area that is constrained by access and a narrow ally dock.
As part of the MSB, Fire Station 63 was completely dependent on the building’s mechanical systems to operate. This includes Heating and Ventilation (HVAC), hot water, and emergency generator power supply. Maintaining an MSB-wide mechanical system is more complicated than a system(s) specific to the fire station. When upgrades or replacements are needed, the cost and complication are further compounded.
The station has remained in operation at its current location since 1979, closing twice for unhealthy living conditions and a third time for both unhealthy living conditions and to facilitate its remodel in 2010. These closures were due to water leaks with associated mold and carbon monoxide intrusion into the station’s living spaces. Both assigned units were relocated to fire stations 64 and 65 while the station was closed. When these units were relocated, response times into the core coverage areas of Fire Station were increased by up to three minutes. The relocation also negatively impacted station 61 and 65’s reliability as Engine 63 was out of position to support those two districts. In late 2009, the station was again vacated due to health concerns regarding air quality from both mold and carbon monoxide.
The 2009 ARRA grant funded critical seismic upgrades to the fire station’s ceiling, exterior walls, and apparatus bay. Based on the MSB’s age, it was recommended, through a seismic study, to further expand the seismic retrofit work to capture a much larger portion of the MSB as it would provide additional protection for the station and surrounding areas. Due to the grant’s restrictions, this was not possible, as work outside of the station’s footprint was not allowable. The work performed did strengthen the apparatus bay and provided a much higher level of protection with the intent of accessing the engine and ambulance post-earthquake. The work also allowed for a raised apparatus bay ceiling, providing access for any of our department’s engines and ambulances.
Critical items that were unable to be addressed with the grant funding, and continue to restrict us today, include:
• Adequate apparatus storage to allow for in-station parking of two reserve apparatus.
• Creation of a decontamination corridor that greatly reduces hazardous materials from entering into the fire station’s living area.
• Storage to support additional firefighting equipment, disaster supplies, and surplus food and water.
• Drive-through apparatus bays to eliminate backing vehicles into a tight alley dock and then into a station.
• Dedicated in-station exercise area.
• Support for additional firefighters as the station supports paramedic trainees, newly hired firefighter paramedics who are under evaluation, and upstaffing during periods of high call volume or large-scale disasters.
• Sleeping quarters with two exit options (remodeled station, due to size constraints, does not allow for windows in the dorms).
• Space for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) filling equipment.
• Future regulatory requirements for equipment, standards, and practices.
• Dedicated support features - Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC), Water, and Emergency Power
This station is regularly the busiest in South San Francisco. This trend has not changed, even with the growth occurring along the Eastern side of the City. Call volume regularly exceeds 3,000 incidents between the units assigned, Engine 63 and Rescue 63. This level of call volume places additional stress on the station, something that can be reduced with a facility that can adequately support this level of demand.
The need to identify a more appropriate Fire Station 63 has been studied numerous times, beginning in 1991, as the current location was never intended as a long-term solution for the facility. Geographically, the station is well positioned as its current location is located on the Westside of El Camino Real. A majority of the calls occurring in Fire Station 63’s district are West of El Camino Real, significantly reducing the number of occurrences when responding apparatus cross one of the busiest streets and intersections in South San Francisco. This reduces response times into the Buri Buri, Serra Highlands, and Winston Manor neighborhoods.
From these efforts, a viable new location was identified, directly across from the current fire station’s driveway. The property at 71 Camaritas Avenue provides ample size to house an adequate fire station. While it does come with some site restrictions, due diligence was performed, including architecturally generated conceptual drawings, to confirm that the site is able to offer ample programmatic space to meet the department’s current and future needs.
An additional benefit of constructing Fire Station 63’s replacement at 71 Camaritas Avenue includes the ability to maintain the current fire station while the new facility is built. As call volume has increased, relocating both the engine and ambulance assigned to Fire Station 63 would have a negative impact on response times for an extended amount of time due to construction timelines.
PROPOSED SCHEMATIC DESIGN
The straightforward massing and exterior materials of the fire station will give it a strong civic presence and highlight of the Fire Department’s antique fire truck will instill civic interest and pride in South San Francisco. The exterior cladding will be comprised of a rainscreen system which predominantly features vertically ribbed metal panels broken up by glazed areas which provide natural daylight to the interior spaces. Terra cotta panels will highlight select areas around the apparatus bay and the main public entry. The double-height semi-transparent apparatus bay with its fire-engine red doors will be the building’s visual focus along Camaritas Avenue and will announce to the community the building’s function as a fire station. A circular mechanical screen will keep equipment out of view from the street.
PROGRAM SPACES AND AMENITIES
As proposed, the two-story 10,150 square foot building will house up to 6 firefighter-paramedics and feature a 3-bay wide double-deep drive-through apparatus bay. Apparatus support spaces are located on the south side of the first floor and include personal protective equipment (turnout) storage, an equipment cleaning and storage room, medical storage room, and combined area for shop, and SCBA fill station. An exercise room is situated near these support spaces to prevent noise infiltration into the residential area. The northern, street-facing portion of the first floor houses the office functions and utility rooms.
Administrative and public spaces such as the lobby, public restroom, watch room, and captain’s office are grouped around the main entry facing Camaritas Avenue.
On the second floor, the day room, dining room, study, and kitchen face south to take advantage of daylight and views, while the more private dorm rooms face north for more pleasant indirect light. There are 6 private double dorms and 3 single-occupancy bathrooms. Lockers are located along the hall serving the dorm rooms. A utility room and water heater closet finish out the second-floor program.
The station will be designed to remain operational after a major seismic event as required by the Essential Services Act.
CONSULTANT CONTRACT AMENDMENTS
Both consultant agreements were first approved approximately 8 years ago, and the project has experienced several disruptions since that time. Following a 3-year pause to complete Phases 1 and 2 of the Community Civic Campus, in late 2022, the project team began work in earnest on the Fire Station 63 project at the new 71 Camaritas site. Several months later, at the direction of the City Manager, the team paused pending availability of additional funding sources. Since that time, several project requirements have changed, including a directive for the facility to be all electric, further direction from the property easement holder (San Francisco Public Utilities Commission), and a negotiation with San Mateo County for a small parcel lot line adjustment. Both SmithGroup and Kitchell CEM continue to provide good service to the City and the increases in fees are a reflection of restarting the project as well as unanticipated additional project complexity.
FISCAL IMPACT
In 2022, the project team anticipated a total project cost of $32 million. In early 2023, the City Manager directed staff to pause the project given historically exorbitant cost escalation over the past three years and continued uncertainty regarding tariffs. The current total project cost is estimated to be $37.3 million, which is just over a 5% annual year over year increase for 3 years. The $847,000 in contract amendments for Kitchell CEM and SmithGroup are included in the revised total project budget.
As approved in the Citywide CIP, the project currently has $9 million in funding, the source of which is the first Community Benefit Payment required by the Development Agreement for the Southline project, a redevelopment of a 28.5-acre industrial site with up to 2.8 million square feet of office / research & development (R&D), which was approved by the City Council on July 27, 2022. On the subsequent agenda item in the same meeting in which this item is being presented, staff will seek direction from Council regarding the additional funding sources.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
This effort is included in the City’s Strategic Plan. It aligns with Priority #2 which is focused on enhancing quality of life and Priority #3 which is focused on enhancing public safety.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council receive a report regarding a Fire Station 63 project update and adopt two resolutions to approve amendments to the Consulting Services Agreements with Kitchell CEM for program and construction management services and SmithGroup, Inc. for architectural design services for the Civic Campus Projects.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Slide Show Presentation