Groundbreaking soon for new East Dundee fire station

A level construction site is all that is standing in the way of the ground breaking for the East Dundee Fire Protection District’s new station along Route 25.

Construction bids have been received and opened, design plans have been reviewed and a spring 2014 completion date has been marked.

“We’re hoping to break ground during the first two weeks in July,” said Fire Chief Steve Schmitendorf. “This entire process has been a great example of cooperation between the fire district and the village.”

The station will be built on three acres, north of Route 72, that East Dundee trustees exchanged with the district. It will be in the shadow of the new senior citizens housing complex that was completed earlier this year.

In return, the village will receive and renovate the former fire station into a police station. Both taxing bodies need more space.

The East Dundee Police Department shares space with village offices along Barrington Avenue in a building that was constructed in the latter part of the 19th century.

The fire district’s only station was built in 1960. Both buildings sit next to each other and both have no room for expansion.

The new fire station could cost $5.1 million, which may give fire trustees enough money to purchase a new engine to replace an aging engine.

“The engine could cost from $500,000 to $600,000,” Schmitendorf said. “But we won’t order it until we’ll well into construction and know how much it will actually cost.”

Village trustees also promised to donate $2 million toward the fire station’s construction, Schmitendorf said.

Last November, voters gave fire trustees permission to sell bonds to pay for the new building. It was needed, they contend, to make responders and emergency vehicles more centrally located. Many of the calls involve traffic accidents along routes 25 and 72.

The East Dundee Fire Protection District reaches into Cook County to the east, the Fox River to the west, Route 68 to the north, and the Max McGraw Wildlife complex to the south.

“The new station will be equipped to be a 24-hour facility,” the chief said. “There will be sleeping quarters for eight, plus a fire lieutenant. At the current station, the building was renovated to work in sleeping quarters on the second floor. Before there was a reception hall the district rented out to raise money.”