Santa Rosa awards a $33 million construction contract for the long-awaited Roseland Library and Fire Station

Santa Rosa has selected a contractor to design and build a permanent home for the Roseland Library and other community facilities, marking a milestone for the long-awaited project.

The public complex, known as the Hearn Community Hub, is planned on 15 acres of land at the intersection of Hearn and Dutton avenues that the city purchased in early 2022.

A new fire station is also planned for the site, and a future phase calls for a recreation center to serve Roseland and the fast-growing community of Santa Rosa to the southwest.

The City Council on Tuesday awarded a $33 million contract to Sacramento-based Swinerton Builders to design and build the first phase of the project.

“We’re thrilled that it’s finally becoming a reality,” said Erica Thibault, director of the Sonoma County Library. “It took a long time. It has been a long process and it is great to see us all working together – the library, the fire department and the city of Santa Rosa – to make this possible for the community.”

Demolition crews demolished three houses, several smaller outbuildings and fencing on the property in May, clearing the way for redevelopment.

Construction of the library and fire station is expected to start in fall 2025 and be completed in spring 2027.

Councilman Eddie Alvarez on Tuesday applauded the city’s efforts, saying it was a step toward delivering on long-promised public investments in the predominantly Latino neighborhood that was folded into city limits in 2017.

The total project cost for the first phase, including site purchase, demolition, design and construction, is $48.2 million, according to city data.

The project is being paid for with a mix of local, state and federal dollars, including $10 million each from the city’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act and PG&E wildfire settlement funds, nearly $11 million from the Sonoma County Library and $3 million from the city government . safety tax. California Senate President Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, secured $5 million each for the fire station and library in the state budgetand former Assembly member Marc Levine secured $1 million for each during his time in the Legislature.

The project is located just west of where construction work is underway new bridge over Highway 101 at Hearn Avenue to improve congestion and safety as hundreds of homes are added and more are planned along Santa Rosa Avenue and in southwest Santa Rosa.

The expanded bridge will make it easier for emergency vehicles to cross and the project will ultimately connect to a planned multi-use trail along Hearn Avenue, improving access to the SMART trail and community hub.

What is planned

The plans call for a 9,915-square-foot fire station on Hearn Avenue, which will replace the small, outdated Fire Station 8 on Burbank Avenue, just south of Sebastopol Road.

Firefighting, dormitories, a kitchen and other living areas are located on the first floor next to the appliance room.

The fire station could potentially provide space for a conference room and multi-purpose rooms for emergency operations above the firehouse, city documents show.

Santa Rosa Transportation and Public Works Director Dan Hennessey said the firehouse design met the department’s response needs and the daily needs of firefighters stationed there.

The fact that the new station is further south, closer to Highway 101 and the growing residential areas, has been discussed by fire officials since they took over the existing station from Roseland’s old volunteer company.

Fire Chief Scott Westrope said the department is looking forward to construction after a lengthy planning process.

“The Santa Rosa Fire Department is excited to move into the next phase of the new fire station, which will better serve the city and our Roseland area,” he said in a written statement. “Providing improved services to southwest Santa Rosa has been a strategic goal for years and we look forward to the fire station.”

A 10,000-square-foot library is planned behind the fire station, separated by two parking spaces and a green space.

Thibault, the library’s director, said the selection committee and library officials believed Swinerton’s design provided flexibility to meet the library’s needs and “epitomized what we think a 21st century library would look like.” must see.”

The library will include meeting rooms and a maker space.

Outside, children can play in what Thibault described as a demonstration garden, and the library can host performances, such as storytime in a small amphitheater. There will also be space to accommodate outdoor markets and allow the library to expand outdoor programming, she said.