Fire-Rescue staff at the water-damaged North Fire Station in Palm Beach will work out of a temporary facility once renovation work on the landmarked building gets underway.
During its regular meeting Jan. 11, the Town Council approved the purchase of two trailers and a canopy that will serve as a temporary fire station once construction on the estimated $5.5 million project begins.
The units will be ready for occupancy in June, when interior demolition of the fire station is slated to begin, said Eric Brown, the town’s assistant director of Public Works.
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An inspection last summer revealed water damage and mold infestation inside the 95-year-old fire station at 300 S. County Road, accelerating the timeline for a rebuild of the structure.
The three-story building that was landmarked in 1988 houses 11 Fire-Rescue and civilian personnel. They would be moved to the temporary fire station that will be built by Manteca, California-based American Modular Systems.
The company, which also has built modular units for the City of West Palm Beach Fire Rescue, was selected from a list of three bidders for the contract.
Worth $534,449, the contract includes the construction of a dormitory trailer and a bunker trailer as well as general temporary site modifications, Brown said.
The dormitory trailer can house up to six firefighters, while the bunker building will house fire gear. The units will be placed at Wells Road.
Fire-Rescue staff will occupy the trailers for approximately 18 months while construction on the North Fire Station is underway, Paul Brazil, the town’s director of Public Works, told the Town Council.
Brazil said the town had hoped to rent the units rather than buy them, but staff was unable to find any rentals.
“These are being fabricated for us,” he said of the trailers, which measure 28-by-70 feet and 10-by-16 feet. “They meet all the fire code, ADA and hurricane requirements of a regular structure, so it’ll be good quarters for the firemen, even though it’s going to be tight quarters.”
Brazil said the town hopes to recoup some of the money it will spend on the temporary fire station by reselling the units once the North Fire Station renovations are complete. Based on current Governmental Surplus Sales records, the town could recover up to a third of the purchase price, he added.
“We anticipate some resale value,” he said.
In the meantime, regular air quality testing continues inside the North Fire Station, Brazil said, and the building remains safe to occupy.
Still, a top-to-bottom rehabilitation of the structure is needed after roof leaks discovered last summer revealed the presence of water damage and mold.
The council agreed to move up the timeline of the renovation by two years after deeming it a top priority during its budget workshop in July.
Council members allocated $1.5 million of a $2.7 million budget surplus for the work.
The balance of the of the estimated cost of the project could come from town reserves, or the town could finance it, Finance Director Jane LeClainche told council members last summer.
Brazil said he expected the project’s cost could exceed $5.5 million based on supply chain issues and other factors, but he was hopeful the town could control some of those costs as the project moves forward.
“With the structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, there’s no opportunity to save money,” he said. “When it comes to fit and finish and accessories outfitting, we’ll do everything we can to control our costs where we can control them.”
Design work is underway for the fire station renovation, Brown said.
Jodie Wagner is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
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