WETA Operations and Maintenance Facility, Alameda, CA
ROMA was commissioned as a design architect to work with WETA on design for the Central Bay Operations and Maintenance Facility which will serve as the base for WETA’s ferry fleet, and house administrative offices, Operations Control Center and Emergency Operations Center. The project provides running maintenance service for all of WETA ferry boats operating in the San Francisco Bay and the location for day-to-day management and oversight of services, crew and facilities. In the event of a regional disaster, the facility would also function as an emergency operations center, serving passengers and sustaining water transit service for emergency response and recovery. The site is located within Alameda Point, and includes approximately 12,000 square feet of landside improvements, comprising of the extension of the public park, new public viewing terrace with pedestrian improvements that offer viewing opportunities both of the Bay and the wildlife which is abundant in the area, but also the operations within the working yard, and a realignment of the Bay Trail and the Hornet Avenue with associated pedestrian and landscape improvements. The Maintenance Facility is the first project to be completed on the Alameda Point and is constructed to meet the anticipated future sea level rise. The building is designed to Essential Facilities Standards, incorporates numerous sustainability features such as highly energy efficient systems, bicycle facilities, water-efficient plumbing and irrigation, extensive photovoltaics and the use of recycled and local materials, and has received LEED Gold certification. While utilizing streamlined design and highly durable materials, the Building is designed to complement the industrial nature of the surrounding area and to create a civic anchor for the adjacent public space.