VNC Community Officer Yolanda Gonzalez Seeks Support for a New Facility
By Nick Antonicello
Yolanda Gonzalez is a strong proponent of public safety and is a fiscal conservative by any standard.
But when it comes to ensuring our first responders have the tools and funding, Gonzalez has no peer.
I saw her at the annual Pancake Breakfast last week and while she was happy to see such a large turnout, especially with parents and kids, I can see in her face that something was bothering her.
“We need to look into a new or renovated firehouse,” offered the longtime Venetian, property owner and community activist.
With 177 fire stations in Los Angeles and an annual $1.6 billion budget, finding the dollars could be challenging, especially with the city facing shortfalls and revenue deficits.
A quick review on the cost of construction of a new firehouse varies by location, square footage and the kind of technology and other tools that are needed for a true, state-of-the-art facility.
Typically speaking, a fire station that would service 75,000 residents would be about $1,500,000 to $2,000,000. That does not include the cost of land, or other initial planning expenditures. But further examination of actual firehouses previously constructed ranged from $6,400,000 in Purchase, NY (2019) and $11,662,635 In Lisbon, Connecticut (2023).
Lisbon has a population of 4,195 while Purchase has roughly 6,500 residents.
Gonzalez said she will bring this to the attention of the Venice Neighborhood Council in the form of a resolution, and if passed; to the office of Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) for her consideration, input, advice and support.
While at the beach I saw some firefighters from Engine #63 and they would be delighted by the prospect of a new or updated station.
Another consideration would be if new construction, where in Venice? And the obvious transition from the existing facility to another.
The current station, located at 1930 Shell is a 24/7, fire and rescue services facility.
This company was part of the original Venice Fire Department that was annexed by the City of Los Angeles in 1925.
This facility opened in September of 1942, nearly 82 years ago.
Extrememodularbuildings.com estimates that California fire stations have an estimated lifespan of 50 years. These fire stations are built with non-combustible steel, and are designed to be secure, fully equipped, and have operational facilities.
Nick Antonicello is a thirty-one year resident of the neighborhood that covers all things Venice. Have a take or a tip? Contact him via e-mail at nantoni@mindspring.com
