Long Awaited Library, Fire Station Construction Contract Awarded to Swinerton

The City of Santa Rosa awards Swinerton Builders first phase of civic complex at Hearn and Dutton Avenues.

Swinerton’s award of the $33.0 million design-build Hearn Community Hub – Phase 1 project marks a transformative milestone for Santa Rosa, creating a permanent home for the library and establishing a critical new fire station. This civic complex, located on a six-acre site, will provide much-needed amenities and has been met with great anticipation by the community, which has long awaited expanded resources and services in southwest Santa Rosa.

The first phase includes a library designed by Jayson Architecture, a fire station designed by Shah Kawasaki Architects, and a surrounding landscape designed by RHAA to enhance local infrastructure and community connection. This will be the city’s first library in 20 years.

Future phases envision adding recreation and aquatic centers, supporting a comprehensive vision for southwest Santa Rosa’s growth. Swinerton’s design, developed in collaboration with aforementioned architects and local stakeholders, embraces flexibility to meet present and future needs while remaining true to the city’s community-centered goals. Kitchell and Group 4 Architecture developed the early concept plans and Swinerton’s design-build team is bringing Santa Rosa’s investment to life, ensuring a modern, adaptable space for residents for generations to come.

On December 12, 2024, the City of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Library hosted a Vision Unveiling event for the community to view the designs for the new 10,315-square-foot library and 9,915-square-foot fire station. Speakers also provided a project update announcing that work is expected to start in the fall of 2025.

“We’re just really excited that it’s finally coming to fruition,” shared Erika ThibaultSonoma County library director with The Press Democrat. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a long process and it’s wonderful to see that we’re all working together—the library, fire department and the City of Santa Rosa—to make this happen for the community.”

Swinerton has been building in the region for 137 years, specifically completing 32 projects in Santa Rosa. Most recently, the company completed projects for a confidential technology company based in Santa Rosa. The firm is also pursuing several more opportunities in the area, including Santa Rosa City Schools’ new district office.

“Swinerton is honored for this opportunity to strengthen the community and public safety fabric of the North Bay and partner with the City of Santa Rosa to bring the Hearn Community Hub to life,” says Jeff Good, vice president and division manager for Swinerton’s Sacramento division. “The passion that the citizens of Santa Rosa have for the vision of this project is inspiring, and we’re looking forward to leveraging collaborative design-build delivery to expand on the years of work already put into this project.”