Fire Station Number 2, located at 1641 Gray Ave., has a history of proposed infrastructure improvements that were approved by the Yuba City Council on May 21. Photo courtesy of Yuba City

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Fire Station Number 2 is getting an upgrade.

On May 21, Yuba City Council and Mayor Shon Harris approved approximately $1 million for the station's dormitory expansion project.

Public Works and Development Services director Ben Moody presented city officials with a detailed project description for a dormitory addition and remodel on the back east side of the 1641 Gray Ave. location.

The 1,330-square-foot addition includes three dorm rooms, one laundry room, two unisex restroom and shower areas, and one storage room, all with new tile, vinyl flooring, lockers and cabinets in the station initially constructed 40 years ago.

Between 2013 and 2015, the city installed exterior ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) walkways and parking with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. By 2019, city officials prepared a scope and specifications for a dormitory expansion but no contract was awarded. The project was rescoped and put out to bid last May. However, contractor costs were 40% over the city's limit, so the bids expired.

"It's been a long time coming," Moody said. 

The recent bid included six contractors, with United Building Contractors' lowest bid at $916,702 compared to REM Construction's highest bid of $1.3 million. Although the bid is lower than a year ago, according to Moody, the 25% contingency fee for unforeseen extra work and delay claims ups the cost another $122,000. 

The extra work includes adding sprinklers and a communication and fire alerting system not included in the original bid. According to Moody, the three projects fall under contingency work. 

"When you get into an old building, you have some dry rot and tie-in issues; you don't know exactly what you will run into," Moody said.

Timing is everything, according to Moody, noting that "if we kick the can down the road," unexpected inflation could increase project costs. According to the public works director, the "good tight bids” are within the city's price points.

 Pictured here is the side of Fire Station #2 that is getting a dormitory addition on the back east side of the1641 Gray Ave. location. Photo courtesy of Yuba City

"You will see $122,000 turn into $250,000 in another year," Moody said.

Moody recommended that the council allocate funds from the unallocated General Fund dollars to the budget to award the contract to United Building Contractors.

There are no questions for Vice-Mayor Dave Shaw, who said, "We need to do this." 

However, the councilman wanted to know more about how extra contingency costs come up in projects like these, which Fire Chief Jesse Alexander explained.

"Our alerting system company for our stations is out of business, so seeing how to expand that alerting system, especially into the dorm area, has potential challenges," Alexander said.

According to Moody, the bottom line for labor, material costs and the special facility is at least a million dollars, which was not a problem for Mayor Dave Shaw, who made the first motion to adopt the resolution for reconstruction.

Construction will be complete "this summer and into the fall," according to Moody.