A construction worker joked to passersby this week that the structure going up near downtown Cloverdale is a new casino. But no, it's a new Cal Fire station.
The $2.5 million project replaces a 60-year-old station that was at the same spot at the corner of South Cloverdale Boulevard and Shady Lane.
"The station was in pretty sad shape," John Steger, a state construction supervisor, said of the 1951 facility that was torn down.
"There were some infrastructure problems," said Cal Fire Capt. Terry Morgan. "The foundation was cracking and there were problems with the septic."
The new facility will include a six-bedroom barracks to sleep 12 firefighters, as well as buildings for fire apparatus. It will be staffed on a seasonal basis, typically from around mid-May to the end of October.
The headquarters is expected to be occupied next year in time for the 2012 fire season. Work began in March.
"This station will help immensely with their mission," Steger said.
In the meantime, Cal Fire personnel have one of their engines and crews working out of the new Cloverdale Fire Department station less than a mile away. Another Cal Fire crew is temporarily working out of Healdsburg.
Typically, Cal Fire responds simultaneously to the Cloverdale Fire Department on fire calls, but not medical emergencies.
"They are very accommodating," Morgan said of the Cloverdale Fire department. "We appreciate the opportunity to stay here while in transition."
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