May 29, 2008
Redding Center Firehouse
Expansion plan is on the table
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by Susan Wolf
pilot@thereddingpilot.com
The Redding Center firehouse has stood across from town hall since 1955, structurally unchanged for 53 years. Now a renovation and expansion of the building is in the works.
Redding Fire District #1 commissioners are proposing that the existing building, which has two bays, a bathroom and a boiler room, be expanded by two more bays. The plan is to put the two bays on the west side and behind the original building, forming an L. The plan, developed by local architect Dan Conlon, preserves the original building,” said Ben Pardee, a district commissioner.
“People space” — for two people — is also part of the plan, along with a conference room, day room, an apartment-size kitchen, and a men’s and a women’s restroom. The building would be handicapped accessible. In all, approximately 3,300 square feet would be added to the building, which would retain its brick facade and remain a one-story building. The existing building is 1,650 square feet.
Rich Kasiewicz, a district commissioner, explained the reason for the “people” quarters. At the present time, he said, the Redding Fire District and the West Redding Fire District take turns providing a paid daytime ambulance crew. One week the Redding district is responsible for the duty, the next, West Redding. “But neither [firehouse] is in the center of town, so this is why we want ambulance personnel stationed here,” he said.
The Redding Center firehouse was built in 1955 so one of the fire engines from the main firehouse on Black Rock Turnpike could be put in the center of town for fire protection. The fire district had bought the land — 1.3 acres — from the town in 1952 for this fire station.
The cost
The estimated cost is $1.2 million, but the fire district has already saved about 80% of the cost. At the district’s annual meeting on Monday, June 2, district taxpayers will be asked to approve a bond up to $250,000 to cover the remaining cost. Only district taxpayers may vote on the request, but the meeting is open to the public, the commissioners said.
“This project is not affecting our mill rate,” said Larry Kulowiec, a district commissioner.
“We aren’t raising taxes to pay for it,” added Mr. Pardee. He said the long-term cost is maintaining a building that is smaller than many big homes in town.
Mr. Pardee said the district has a capital reserve budget. “We have been working toward this [the building proposal] over the last decade,” he said. Since all of the department’s equipment is relatively new, he said, he thinks other capital spending can be cut “somewhat, and I think we will be able to do that for five years ...”
If the bonding is approved, said Mr. Kasiewicz, the project would go out to bid in July with a goal of finishing the project within a year.
On Friday, May 23, the commissioners invited neighbors of the Center firehouse to an open house to preview and ask questions about the plan.
Equipment
If the building plan is approved on June 2, a full-size fire pumper would remain at the firehouse. The equipment is needed at the firehouse, said Mr. Kasiewicz, because the Community Center and the elementary school are just down the road and if Cross Highway were to be blocked, the equipment from the main firehouse could not get through.
“It just provides for a quicker response,” said Mr. Kulowiec.
The department’s brush fire truck would also be brought to the Center firehouse, said Mr. Pardee, who added that either the Redding or West Redding ambulance could be stationed here as well for daytime duty.
“This is not a building for today or tomorrow, but for 25 years down the road,” said Mr. Kasiewicz.
In the future, should the town require a full-time paramedic for the three ambulance services in town, said Mr. Pardee, he could see the paramedic stationed at the Center Firehouse, along with his medic car.
The fire commissioners had the option of tearing down the existing building, but since it is in a historic district, they decided to go with an addition that preserves it instead, said Mr. Kasiewicz.
As proposed, the building will stay within the 40-foot setback of the entire property, he said. Any expanded parking would also remain within this setback, said Mr. Kulowiec.
Mr. Conlon was chosen to design the addition, said Mr. Kasiewicz, because of the work he has done on the new Georgetown Fire District building and on the new St. Patrick Church, and because he is a member of the fire district.
The fire district’s annual meeting on June 2 is at the Redding Center firehouse at 7 p.m.
Besides the requests regarding the expansion plan, district taxpayers will be asked to approve a $490,616.39 budget and a tax rate of 0.582. Mr. Pardee said that is a decrease of 18.7% in the mill rate because assessments are up.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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