City reports progress on earthquake‑safety projects while flagging cost pressures and staffing transitions

Public Works and project managers gave a multi‑program update on the earthquake safety and emergency response bond programs, reporting recent completions and identifying cost and staffing pressures.

Ron Alameda, city architect and deputy director for building design and construction at Public Works, said phase 1 of the 911 call center is finished, Fire Boat Station 35 has been completed and the team is moving into closeout, and the fire training facility has completed major site surveys and is in concept design with the executive architect agreement nearing board review. "We've got to the schematic design phase of the surge facility for police in support of advancing the Ingleside project as well," Alameda said, and he flagged price escalation and PG&E utility issues as principal risks affecting budgets.

Project managers reported additional program milestones: Magdalena Araya confirmed Fire Boat Station 35 will be financially closed within two months; Scott Moran updated that the fire training facility has an executive architect agreement in negotiation, with concept design to finish after board action; and Mike Orsetto reported substantial completion and closeout activity for a police facilities project with art‑installation items pending.

Committee members asked how often projects arrive over budget and what drives variance; Alameda and PMs attributed most differences to broad inflationary pressures, supply‑chain and labor constraints, and site‑specific conditions — and described an instance where initial PG&E utility cost estimates were negotiated substantially downward with PUC and staff intervention.

Public Works said the 2010 and 2014 bond programs are winding down (99% and 96% expended, respectively), while the 2020 bond is gaining momentum at about 41% expenditures and appropriations with work accelerating on fire training and police surge facilities.