Excerpts from MySuburbanlife.com:
The Romeoville Fire Station 1 has not seen major renovations since the mid-1980s, [and] the fire station’s walls are deteriorating, paint is chipping in flakes from the roof and the concrete is cracking, Fire Chief Kent Adams said.
The Village Board Wednesday night approved demolition of the fire station at 18 Montrose Drive, and architectural and construction services for the building of a new one in its place.
“I mean, it was pretty much a pole barn when it was built,” Adams said. “We were eventually going to need a new station.”
An Oakbrook Terrace firm was hired to demolish the fire station for $103,400, an architect received a contract not to exceed $66,212, and a contract not to exceed $3 million was awarded for construction.
Assistant Village Manager Dawn Caldwell said the village has been discussing the reconstruction or renovation of the fire station for several years. “We did a lot of research on the existing building,” Caldwell said. “It made sense, due to the amount of work needed on that building, to construct a new building.” … the project will be paid by village funds saved over the years while the project was being discussed.
Necessary emergency services will be moved to an industrial space a block away while the fire station construction is taking place. The fire engine and ambulance will be housed in the temporary location along with four people. Other services and personnel, including administration, will work out of the village hall or Fire Station 3.
