The Marin Independent Journal covers Ross Valley Fire Department's training burns at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, June and July 2014.
"The developer in charge of the San Francisco Theological Seminary's building plan has found an economical way of getting rid of four old buildings: have the Ross Valley Fire Department burn them down.
This week and next, the fire department is using the buildings at 25 and 30 Kensington Road and 108 and 130 Bolinas Ave. as flammable classrooms for young firefighters. Once the buildings are out of the way, construction of nine new homes for seminary faculty and staff, and 17 apartment units for students, can begin — perhaps as early as July.
Rob Hart, a principal in HartMarin, the Novato-based real estate development company managing the project, said he approached the fire department with the idea. While the fire department is grateful to secure use of the buildings, the seminary also will benefit by cutting the cost of disposing of the buildings."
Photo by Scott Porter, Ross Valley Fire Department