Ground broken on new Costa Mesa fire station

Officials broke ground Saturday on a multimillion-dollar project to demolish and rebuild Costa Mesa’s aging fire station on Royal Palm Drive.

The event marks the start of the long-discussed effort to replace Fire Station No. 1 — which was built in 1961 — with a newer, larger station.

The project entails demolishing the existing 9,500-square-foot station at Royal Palm and Adams Avenue and building an 11,740-square-foot facility in its place. The estimated cost is $7.8 million. Construction is expected to take 13 to 15 months.

The project is necessary, city officials have said, because the station has become increasingly worn-down and cramped over the years. Issues with the structure and its foundation left the building out of compliance with modern codes and standards, officials say.

The new station will boast a larger fire apparatus bay, 10 firefighter dorm rooms, administrative offices, a kitchen and dining room, physical and EMS training rooms, a mechanic shop area and an emergency medical supply room.

During construction, the station’s crew and equipment will operate out of a temporary facility at 1368 Adams Ave. that includes a hangar for fire engines and a station fashioned from a double-wide mobile home.

City officials have dubbed the temporary site “Fire Station 1.1.�