“This is a significant moment for the fire department in Middletown and for the health and safety of our citizens,” said fire Chief Thomas Snively.
He said building four fire stations “bodes well for the future as our community continues to grow.”
City and fire officials have said building the four stations is needed to better serve the communities that have experienced population shifts and growth. The oldest station in the city is 70 years old.
There is a need for new fire stations since the current stations have outgrown their useful life and do not meet the current standards and codes of modern-day fire stations, fire officials have said.
None of the existing stations are sprinklered and their sleeping areas do not meet the minimum requirements for egress. Additionally, the current stations do not meet accessibility requirements and lack essential facilities, according to fire officials.
The construction of the new headquarters and Station 82 is expected to be completed by November 2024. Stations 81 and 85 will begin construction in August 2024 and are expected to be completed by June 2025.
Once the new stations are completed, city leadership will determine the future use of the former fire station sites.
The projected cost for the construction of the four new stations is estimated to be $26.8 million.
This summer, the escalating cost of building the four stations was heavily debated during City Council meetings.
In May 2022, voters overwhelmingly approved a 1-mill property tax levy expected to generate $16.9 million that, at the time, residents were told was enough to cover the construction cost of the four stations.
But since then, due to escalating construction and material costs, the projected price tag is $9.9 million over earlier estimates, using worst-case scenarios, according to city leaders.
Too offset the gap in funding, City Manager Paul Lolli has said the city could use $4.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Ironically, when Jim Palenick was city manager, he frequently said the city couldn’t use ARPA money on the fire stations.
Lolli said the city is still considering options for the more than $5 million shortfall in funding. He said possibilities may be presented Tuesday night to City Council.
EARLIER ESTIMATED COSTS OF BUILDING FOUR FIRE STATIONS
- New fire headquarters location replacing the 1.38-acre site on Roosevelt Boulevard: A 3.6-acre site at Yankee Road and Cherry Street owned by the city as acquired from the Middletown City Schools and former site of Garfield school. Size: 24,300 square feet. Total cost: $10.5 million.
- Station No. 81 location replacing 0.28-acre site on Clinton Street: A 2.85-acre site at Henry Avenue and Charles Street owned by the city as acquired from the Middletown City Schools and former site of the Jefferson school. Size: 10,200 square feet. Cost: $5 million.
- Station No. 85 location replacing 0.86-acre site at Central Avenue and Breiel Boulevard: A 2-acre parcel at Sophie Avenue and Stolz Drive encompassing the undeveloped, southern portion of Dowling Park owned by the city. Size: 10,200 square feet. Cost: $5 million.
- No. 82 location replacing 0.88-acre site on Dixie Highway: A 2.7-acre site at Ohio 122 and Atrium Boulevard acquired from Premier Health/Atrium Medical Center. Size: 11,800 square feet. Cost: $5.9 million.
SOURCE: City of Middletown/App Architecture
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