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The oldest fire station in Livermore is poised for complete demolition and reconstruction beginning next August as part of a project to modernize the public safety post.
Located at 4550 East Ave., the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department’s Fire Station No. 6 is a single-story building initially constructed in 1976 and later expanded to its current-day footprint of about 10,700 square feet.
This 50-year-old facility is home to the world-renowned Centennial Light Bulb, which will be temporarily relocated as part of the renovations.
Estimated to cost nearly $24.3 million, the project will construct an approximately 13,000-square-foot, single-story fire station and a reserve apparatus building spanning about 2,600 square feet. Fire services will continue throughout the phased project, which is expected to last about two years.
A new facility is needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and safety standards as well as to reduce potential exposure to hazardous contaminants, according to Livermore senior planner Ashley Vera.
During a regular meeting Aug. 18, the Livermore Planning Commission voted 4-0 in support of a conditional use permit and site plan design review to allow the project. Commissioner Yolanda Fintschenko was absent.
“I’m excited for the firefighters that’ll get to use this station,” Commissioner Jacob Anderson said during the meeting. “We’ll have to suffer through a couple of years of dealing with a temporary station, but afterwards it’ll be quite awesome for them.”
LPFD Fire Chief Aaron Lacey expressed the department’s support for the project.
“It is going to add value to not only the community, but our firefighters, and provide some much-needed enhancements”, Lacey told the commission.
It will feature decontamination areas, office space, living and sleeping quarters, a fitness room, a multipurpose room and a dedicated display area for the 125-year-old Centennial Light Bulb, Vera said.
Elsewhere on the site, the reserve apparatus building is set to store one truck and one engine.
Associated site improvements include new landscape, fences and walls, public and private parking, space for public art and new public bike spaces.
The project also adds one personnel to the station for a total of five on-site staff and one new, specialized SUV or truck to serve as a mobile command post.
Prior to issuing a permit for demolition, city staff are set to approve a plan to relocate the light bulb from its position inside the station.
“I appreciate the safety plan for the bulb. I’m sure that staff and everybody will take great care because nobody wants to be the person to knock the bulb out,” Anderson said.
The light bulb will not be available for public viewing while stored for about 15 to 16 months in the reserve apparatus building. Staff intend to set up a live camera stream for remote viewing, according to Vera.
A specific design for the bulb’s new home has not yet been finalized, but staff intend to include information on digital displays, wall plaques and/or a display case.
“It’s a great thing to see separated from the actual station, because then you don’t have civilians such as myself, just sort of wandering in right next to the trucks,” Commission Chairperson Tracy Kronzak said.
There were no public comments at the hearing last week.
During the project, a 1,500-square-foot temporary modular building will be placed on site for living and sleeping quarters, restrooms, office space and storage to allow fire service operations to continue.
