The County proposes construction of a new East County Service Center (proposed project) at Technology Way and Brentwood Boulevard in the city of Brentwood, East Contra Costa County (see Figure 1). The project site is a flat, grassy undeveloped lot with no trees, buildings, or utilities. A gravel staging area exists in the northwest portion of the project site.
The new facility would house multiple County departments and provide a centralized service center for residents of East Contra Costa County, which is one of the fastest-growing regions within the county. The new three-story building would provide approximately 120,000 gross square feet of usable space and have a maximum height of approximately 58 feet, including the mechanical penthouse and mechanical roof equipment (see Figures 2 and 3). The building would include a lobby area, administrative offices for approximately 10 County departments, conference rooms, building support rooms, and other amenities. There will be two main entrances to the lobby area: one for the public and one for staff only. Additionally, there will be four entrances on the side of the building: two for the public and two for staff only. Sixteen
restrooms are proposed, including 6 for the public and 10 for staff use. Two public elevators, two staff-only elevators, and three stair towers (one with roof access) would provide access to the upper floors. One open staircase would lead from the main lobby to the second-level lobby area. The on-site staff would have access to the roof terraces on the second and third levels; the terraces would have a pedestal paver system. Table 1-1 provides an overview of the proposed project.
Table 1-1: Proposed Project Overview
Feature-Overview
Project Site: 7.86 acres at Technology Way and Brentwood Boulevard in the City of Brentwood
Building Gross Square Footage: 120,000 Gross Square Feet
Building Height: 3 stories. Approximate 58 feet high, including the mechanical penthouse and mechanical roof equipment
Employees: Approximately 441 County Staff Members
Vehicular Parking: 409 parking stalls (286 for staff, 79 for visitors, and 44 for fleet vehicles)
Bicycle Parking: 58 spaces (22 long-term spaces and 36 short-term spaces)
Sustainability: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating, at a minimum
The building is designed with a mass timber super structure and with glass-fiber reinforced concrete exterior siding. There is a glass curtain wall system in prime locations on the building façade for enhanced natural light and views, supplemented by punched windows in all other locations. The project will employ metal panel cladding siding in a few locations with metal fin architectural accents: this vocabulary complements other modern County buildings.
The proposed project would be fully electric and includes a rooftop photovoltaic system to supply on-site renewable energy. The photovoltaic system would be connected to an approximately 688-kilowatt battery back-up system. The battery back-up system would be located in the vehicle parking area south of the proposed building. In addition, the proposed building would include a hybrid heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system consisting of both a geothermal system and a heat pump. The geothermal system would include approximately 60 wells which would be drilled down to a maximum of 400 feet. The wells would contain HVAC piping that carries fluid to depth for heat transfer with the ground, allowing for energy efficient heating and cooling. The pumphouse would be located west of the proposed building and the wells would be located throughout the vehicle parking areas. The
heat pump would be located on the roof of the proposed building. The proposed project would achieve, at a minimum, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating.
The project site would be developed with stormwater treatment basins, pedestrian walkways, and a public plaza along the north façade that would wrap around the corner entry. These treatment features are expected to decrease the rate and volume of stormwater runoff. A trellis or gazebo would be provided for outdoor functions. A covered area outside the conference rooms would be located at the east end of the building. There would be a 180-foot passenger drop-off zone with permeable pavers running parallel to the public plaza on the north side of the building adjacent to a secure child play area. An approximately 8-foot-tall fence would be installed along the perimeter of the staff and fleet vehicle parking areas and at the east end of the building.
Regarding site improvements, the proposed project would include approximately 43,000 square feet of concrete paving, 10,000 square feet of sidewalk, and 1,200 linear feet of curbing. Regarding roadways and parking, the proposed project would include approximately 160,000 square feet of asphalt concrete paving, 11,000 linear feet of concrete curbing, and 500 square feet of permeable pavers. A planned public plaza and right-of-way planting would require approximately 42,000 square feet of paving. Landscaping is planned for approximately 28,000 square feet of the project site. New plantings would include a mix of native, drought-tolerant plants. There are currently no trees on the project site; thus, the proposed project would not require the removal of any trees.
Access and Parking
The East County Service Center would be accessed by the public from Technology Way, with staff-only gated entrances on Business Center Drive and Brentwood Boulevard.
The proposed project would include approximately 409 parking stalls, with 286 stalls for employees, 79 stalls for visitors, and 44 stalls for fleet vehicles (see Figure 2 and Table 1-1). The project would include 108 EV-capable spaces, with 82 Type 2 electric vehicle (EV) chargers and 4 DC fast charging stations. The proposed project would also include 17 covered bike parking spaces for staff members and four spaces for the public. In addition, the proposed project would include the following modifications to the vehicular circulation system on public roadways in the vicinity:
Brentwood Boulevard at Technology Way Northbound Left-Turn Movement
(NB-L): The existing raised median would be modified to allow the extension of the
turn pocket and increase the storage capacity.
Brentwood Boulevard at Sand Creek Road Eastbound Right-Turn Movement
(EB-R): Modify roadway painting to use the existing available spacing between the turn pockets western terminus and the eastern limit of an existing driveway 30 feet west of the western terminus of the turn pocket.
Business Center Drive at Sand Creek Road Eastbound Left-Turn Movement
(EB-L): Modify the existing raised median to allow the extension of the turn pocket and increase the storage capacity.
Modifications (e.g., access points, modifications to the circulation system, utility connections, etc.) within the public right-of-way would be constructed to comply with City standards.
Occupancy
The proposed project would result in approximately 441 County employees working at the project site, including approximately 150 relocated employees from other County facilities.
Construction Schedule and Construction Activities
Project construction is anticipated to begin in early 2026 and be completed by the end of 2027, a period of approximately 20?months. The phases of project construction include:
Phase 1: Site mobilization and site preparation, which would take approximately 1
month.
Phase 2: Rough grading, site utilities, and geothermal work, which would take
approximately 10 weeks.
Phase 3: Foundations, which would take approximately 6 weeks.
Phase 4: Construction of the building, which would take approximately 15 months.
Phase 5: Paving and landscaping, which would take approximately 1?month.
Phase 6: Application of architectural coatings, which would take approximately 1
month.
Construction grading is anticipated to affect the entire project site (i.e., approximately 7.86 acres, or 340,000 square feet). Approximately 2,200 cubic yards of soil would be off-hauled over the course of project construction. The maximum depth of excavation for the project is up to 400 feet for the proposed geothermal system; no dewatering during construction of the project would be required.
