Newport Beach opens new $8.3 million combo fire station and library in Corona del Mar

Outgoing Newport Beach fire chief Chip Duncan poses for photos in the new fire station after a dedication ceremony Saturday. The new 10,314 square-foot joint library and fire station facility replaces two former buildings, the branch library and fire station, which were 60- and 70-years old, respectively.
in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer) — Outgoing Newport Beach fire chief Chip Duncan poses for photos in the new fire station after a dedication ceremony Saturday. The new 10,314 square-foot joint library and fire station facility replaces two former buildings, the branch library and fire station, which were 60- and 70-years old, respectively. in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)

By Erika I. Ritchie | eritchie@scng.com | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: July 22, 2019 at 12:52 p.m. | UPDATED: July 22, 2019 at 3:20 p.m.

There are a new fire station and library in Corona del Mar.

City officials on Saturday, July 20, held a ribbon-cutting with public tours of the new facilities, which share a building on Marigold Avenue. About 300 people attended the event, including city and library officials and fire department staff.

Having the two services side-by-side “goes back 60 and 70 years,” Newport Beach Mayor Diane Dixon said. “We’re continuing that with a modern facility. The community felt it was something they all grew up with. It’s a smaller branch library, but it made sense.”

Outgoing Newport Beach fire chief Chip Duncan poses for photos in the new fire station after a dedication ceremony Saturday. The new 10,314 square-foot joint library and fire station facility replaces two former buildings, the branch library and fire station, which were 60- and 70-years old, respectively. in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Ryan Biberston holds his son, Beckham, 1 1/2 years, up to see the view from the new library and fire station Saturday during the dedication ceremony. Members of the Newport Beach city council, law enforcement and firefighting communities were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of a new library and fire station on Saturday in Corona del Mar July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Newport Beach Mayor Diane Dixon, center left, and city councilmember Joy Brenner, center right, cut the ribbon to open the new library and fire station celebrate the grand opening of a new library and fire station on Saturday in Corona del Mar. The new 10,314 square-foot joint facility replaces two former buildings, the branch library and fire station, which were 60- and 70-years old, respectively, in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Newport Beach Mayor Diane Dixon speaks to a crowd of about 200 before the dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening of a new library and fire station on Saturday in Corona del Mar. The new 10,314 square-foot joint facility replaces two former buildings, the branch library and fire station, which were 60- and 70-years old, respectively. in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Newport Beach Mayor Diane Dixon gives the signal for a fire engine to be driven into the new fire station for the first time Saturday after the dedication ceremony. The new 10,314 square-foot joint library and fire station facility replaces two former buildings, the branch library and fire station, which were 60- and 70-years old, respectively. in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Katey Osborn takes a look at a shelf of books in the new library Saturday as members of the Newport Beach city council, law enforcement and firefighting communities were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the new library and fire station in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Newport Beach city councilmember Joy Brenner waves from the cab of the first fire engine to enter the new station Saturday. City officials, law enforcement and firefighting personnel were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of a new library and fire station on Saturday in Corona del Mar. The new 10,314 square-foot joint facility replaces two former buildings, the branch library and fire station, which were 60- and 70-years old, respectively. in Corona del Mar on Saturday, July 20, 2019. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)

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The modern, 10,314-square-foot facility replaces two buildings which housed the old Fire Station No. 5 and the community’s library branch. Construction on the $8.3 million project began in April 2018.

The joint facility will make it easier for both fire and library officials to do their job, officials said.

The fire station is in service, but the library won’t officially be open for business for a couple more weeks. When it is, it will house more than 10,000 books and media items. The library is funded by donations from Friends of the Library, Newport Beach Public Library Foundation and Corona del Mar residents.

“The new fire station is better equipped to handle modern firefighting apparatus, updated communication systems and meets current workplace standards for both male and female firefighters,” said Jeff Boyles, the city’s new fire chief. “Not only is it new and fits into the Corona del Mar neighborhood, but it meets the new building codes providing a much safer facility for our firefighters to operate out of 24-hours-a-day, 365 days a year.”