With the cost of steel and concrete skyrocketing, the budget may be strained for Lealman's new fire station.
By ANNE LINDBERG
Published May 19, 2004
LEALMAN - Commissioners approved a floor plan for a new fire station that could break the construction budget.
"It will be interesting to see what the cost estimate report tells us," architect John Kelly of Fleischman Garcia said Monday. But it's likely that the overall cost is "actually going to exceed your budget."
The fire commission, he said, will have to "see how this plays out."
Pinellas County officials have given the Lealman Fire District $2.2-million for the new station, which will be built on land on the north side of 54th Avenue just east of the railroad tracks. That money is supposed to include everything: architectural fees, construction and unforeseen problems.
Kelly said he would recommend that the fire commissioners try to hold construction costs down to about $1.9-million to make sure they have ample money to complete the project.
That could be hard. China is in a building frenzy preparing for the 2008 Olympics. Kelly said workers there are building the equivalent of eight cities the size of Indianapolis.
That's taking a toll on construction materials around the world. Steel has doubled in cost. The type of steel used in footings has tripled in cost. Concrete is hard to get.
A cost estimate coming later this summer may fall below the actual price for the new station by the time construction begins.
It is unclear, Kelly said, when groundbreaking will take place.
But on Monday, commissioners were busy approving the interior design for the station, which will replace Fire Station 18, 4017 56th Ave. N.
The plan, which was approved by a 4-1 vote, shows two buildings.
The main structure is L-shaped with a garage on the eastern side. The garage will hold fire trucks and other equipment.
The longer arm of the L contains offices and a meeting room. The main public entrance is on its north side. The building has its back to 54th Avenue.
The shorter arm of the L has private rooms for eight firefighters and one lieutenant. It also has a kitchen and lounge area as well as an exercise room.
A smaller maintenance building is for truck repair.
Commissioner Bill Adams, the lone vote against the plan, said he was concerned about the placement of the building on the property. If it was moved to the west and a bit north, there would be enough room to add another truck bay and more bedrooms for future firefighters, if needed.
But other commission members disagreed, saying any expansion likely would be elsewhere in Lealman.
The next step is for Kelly to design the outside of the building. Once the commission approves that, the cost can be estimated.
