The Marin County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, July 7, to award a $3.4 million Phase 1 design-build contract for a new fire headquarters at San Geronimo Commons, launching what one county official called the largest construction project Marin has undertaken since the Civic Center.

"With your approval today, we start a project that is the largest project that the county has undertaken since the construction of the Civic Center," Fabiola Guillen, the county's assistant director of public works, told supervisors.

The contract goes to McCarthy Building Companies of San Francisco and COAR Design Group of Santa Rosa. The base amount is $3,093,768 with a 10% contingency of $309,377, according to the county's July 7 press release. The county estimates the full design-and-construction cost at $71 million.

San Rafael connection

The project also carries a direct benefit for San Rafael. Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Yeager said the county decided to move fire administrative offices and its dispatch center from the current Woodacre headquarters to county offices at 1600 Los Gamos Drive in San Rafael. That relocation is already under construction, Yeager told supervisors, and is expected to save between $8 million and $9 million compared to building those offices at the San Geronimo Valley site.

The new headquarters will consolidate a fire station, training center, and support facilities into roughly 25,000 square feet at the 157-acre former golf course, according to the county fire department's project page. The site offers improved roadway access and faster response times for the San Geronimo Valley and surrounding communities, the county press release states.

First progressive design-build for the county

Marin County has never used a progressive design-build method before. The Board authorized the approach in June 2025. Unlike the traditional design-bid-build process, this model selects a qualified team first, then develops the project collaboratively with community input before locking in scope and price.

Kitchell Corp., hired to evaluate the delivery method, estimated the approach would shave more than eight months off the timeline and save $2.35 million. County public works managers estimated each month of delay would cost $250,000 in escalations.

Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, a former building contractor with more than 35 years of experience before joining the Board, backed the approach at the July 7 meeting.

Community concerns

The project has drawn pushback. An earlier environmental study examined a five-story, 45-foot training tower that neighbors called "industrial" and out of character with the rural valley. Fire Chief Jason Weber told the San Geronimo Valley Planning Group in June 2026 the design could be altered, including reducing the tower height and breaking the project into smaller structures.

San Anselmo resident Philip Snell objected at the July 7 meeting, arguing the community plan does not allow a fire station on the property. County Executive Derek Johnson responded that the Marin County Planning Commission determined in May 2026 the project is consistent with the countywide plan.

What's next

Phase 1 design work begins with a notice to proceed in July 2026 and is expected to take five to six months. The Board will consider Phase 2 approval in early 2027, with construction planned for fall 2027 and a target completion of December 2028.

Residents can meet the design team at "Coffee at the Commons," scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at San Geronimo Commons.