Newport previews city building and repair projects for 2018-19

A tentative list of the capital improvement projects Newport Beach plans for next fiscal year includes a new fire station, Sunset View Park footbridges over West Coast Highway and Superior Avenue and a sound monitor to record the noise from planes taking off from John Wayne Airport.

Public works staff gave the City Council a summary this week of facilities and infrastructure projects for 2018-19.

Some notable ones:

• Lido fire station: At a cost of $9.5 million, the biggest upcoming venture is the replacement of the fire station serving the Lido Isle area. The current facility at 475 32nd St. was built in 1953 and fire officials say it is too small for modern fire equipment. It also has limited street access and employee parking. The city will build the new station about one-third of a mile away at 2807 Newport Blvd.
• Sunset View Park bridges: A pair of bridges to span two legs of the wide, bustling Superior Avenue and West Coast Highway intersection will cost about $6.9 million. Most of the cost will be covered by a $2.3-million grant from the Orange County Transportation Authority and $3 million in developer fees. Councilman Kevin Muldoon said at Tuesday’s meeting that he was pleased with the grant funds but wanted further discussion before fully committing to a project that he said had started smaller, without the developer fees. Now it seems to be a case of “scope creep,” he said.

• Advanced water metering: Installing wireless infrastructure to automate meter reading at a cost of about $3.3 million.
• Balboa Island streets and water: A planned $3.2-million package of infrastructure upgrades on the densely populated island includes Marine Avenue reconstruction ($250,000), Marine Avenue drainage system improvements ($250,000), an island-wide drainage master plan ($200,000) and the second phase of water main replacement ($2.5 million).
• Neighborhood street repairs: Eastbluff, Santa Ana Heights and the airport area are scheduled to get about $1.5 million in work.
• Police facilities: Bathroom and locker room remodeling along with upgrades to the shooting range are expected to cost about $1.35 million. In the past few weeks, the council has approved other interior remodeling and furniture and fixture replacement for the police headquarters.
• Library lecture hall: $70,000 in city and private funds toward concept and design for a lecture hall at the Central Library for programs that are now being held in the relatively small Friends Room.
• A $40,000 airport noise monitor, possibly to be installed on Balboa Island. The monitor would compare readings gathered by the 10 airport-placed monitors under the takeoff path.

Current major projects carrying into next fiscal year include the Corona del Mar library-fire station replacement, Bayside Drive rehabilitation, dredging in the Grand Canal and upgrades to the platform and piles at Newport Pier.

Pipe and furniture contracts

The council Tuesday approved a $626,975 contract with Huntington Beach-based Sancon Technologies to repair 15 segments of storm drain piping. With contingencies and incidentals, the repairs will cost a total of $705,000.

The council also agreed to spend about $440,000 on new furniture and fixtures as part of the Police Department remodel. Corona-based Culver-Newlin will provide the furnishings, which are part of a larger police headquarters interior revamp.

The council previously approved a $500,000 construction contract for updated lighting, ceiling tiles, a new electrical system, paint and minor wall modifications and repairs at the building at 870 Santa Barbara Drive, which was built in 1973.

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