PLEASANTON — With funding approved, the construction of the Firehouse Arts Center will finally get under way.

The City Council on Tuesday approved the appropriations necessary for the construction of the long-awaited center on Railroad Avenue.

The center, which will be located in a former Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department station, will include a 240-seat theater, 2,000 square feet of art gallery space and classrooms.

"I'm just thrilled," said John Loll, president of the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Foundation. "It's a jewel of a facility."

Loll said the arts center is the culmination of years of work toward finding an adequate facility to showcase the works of local artists.

"We're totally excited about this," Councilwoman Cindy McGovern said at the meeting.

Representatives from the cultural arts foundation and the Pleasanton Art League attended Tuesday's meeting and presented the Council with checks for $100,000 and $25,000 respectively to assist with funding for the center's construction.

"(The donation) is even more meaningful because it comes from artists," said former art league president Charlotte Severin, "This is like blood, sweat, and tears."

The project budget for the center is approximately $12.8 million, and will be partially funded by donations of at least $2 million dollars from the cultural arts foundation.

Loll said the foundation may be able to contribute as much as $5.5 million

depending on the success of their fundraising efforts — which include the sale of engraved bricks to be used in the project, plaques on seats at the theater, and special events to take place between now and the center's projected opening in late 2009.

Bricks are being offered in exchange for $150 donations; seats are being offered for $500. Donations accepted by the foundation will be submitted to the city as they are received.

Other foundation-planned events taking place soon include a Concert in the Park event on Aug. 1 and a Firehouse Fling on Sept. 14.

The construction contract for the center was granted to W.A. Thomas Company Inc. for $8,400,318. The company was the lowest of five bidders on the project. In 2004, ELS Architecture and Urban Design was granted the contract to design the center for $748,900. The plans were approved in 2006.

A public groundbreaking ceremony will take place today at 3:30 p.m. and will be followed by music and an ice cream social.

On Tuesday, after the council voted in favor of appropriating the funds for the center's construction, many of the center's advocates gathered outside the Council chamber to celebrate.

"It's an exciting time for downtown Pleasanton," said Christine Salidivar of the Pleasanton Downtown Association.

For information on donations to the project through the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Foundation, go to www.pleasantonartsfoundation.org and click on the brick and seat opportunities link.

Reach Sam Sutton at ssutton@bayareanewsgroup.com or 925-847-2160.