Fire commissioners are looking into parcels on 54th Avenue N between 43rd Street and the railroad tracks.
By ANNE LINDBERG
Published June 4, 2003
LEALMAN - Fire commissioners have decided to look elsewhere for property to build a fire station, but they're not giving up land in Lealman Park until they have sealed a new deal.
Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to explore the possibility of buying two pieces of land on the north side of 54th Avenue N, between the railroad tracks and 43rd Street. The new station would replace Fire Station 18, 4017 56th Ave. N.
The larger piece of land is 12 lots of commercial property comprising about 1.67 acres. Commissioners also are interested in buying another lot that would complete the department's ownership of that block. The sellers of the larger piece, David and Walter Larson, are asking $250,000. The price of the smaller lot is unknown.
The commission appointed a negotiating team to deal with cost and other issues - commission member Linda Campbell, a real estate agent; fire Chief Rick Graham; Deputy Chief David Brown; and the board's attorney.
The decision to look some place other than Lealman Park, 54th Avenue and 37th Street N, came after much struggle.
Commission members say they originally were promised up to half the park for the new station but had been limited to about 0.7 acres after community members lobbyed the county to retain as much green space as possible. That property is Lealman's only park. That space proved too small an amount after commissioners had their architect draft four plans. Some commissioners wanted to ask the county for 150 feet more of parkland.
But on Friday the county turned down the fire commission's request and suggested the group look elsewhere. On Monday, the commission decided to do that. Mike Brophy, the commission head, called it the department's "new new station."
"The park property is just not going to work," Brophy said. "Everything included together was going to be more of a nightmare than it was worth."
If a new location pans out, then the Fire Commission would have to return the park property to Pinellas County. In turn, the county would return the property where Station 18 is currently located.
The county had taken the Station 18 land with the goal of renovating the building so the Lealman Family Center and other agencies could move in as a type of community center.
In a letter informing the fire commission of the county's decision, Assistant County Administrator Gay Lancaster said the community center could be put in the park. That way, the public restrooms, lighting and security the fire department had promised could still be provided to the park.
Mike Quinlivan, executive director of the Family Center, said he had not been officially told his agency would move into a new building in the park if the fire station is built elsewhere. But he plans to meet Thursday with county officials to talk about the possibility and those officials, he said, seem to think that's what will happen.
If it does, that would be great, he said.
"It's a better fit for us" than renovating the old station, he said. The Family Center has afterschool and summer programs, which use the park, and sponsor other events that are held there.
