Mt. Prospect focused on design of new $8 million fire station
Construction of a new Mount Prospect $8 million fire station along Kensington Road took another step Tuesday as trustees considered selection of a construction manager and building designer.
Earlier this year, a preliminary study by the architecture firm SRBL Architects estimated the village needed a new 20,000-square-foot station. The current station at 2000 E. Kensington is about 5,000 square feet.
The firm recommended moving and expanding Fire Station 14 on property west of the current station. The land currently is used by the River Trails Park District and the River Trails School District 26, which appear to be willing to lease the property to the village, Mount Prospect Fire Chief Michael J. Figolah said.
A baseball diamond would have to be relocated for the school district, which would cost the village about $200,000, village officials said.
The total cost is estimated to be about $8 million.
Built in the early 1970s, Station 14 is too small, village officials said. Also, an expanded station could be used for storage, which is lacking at the village's other two stations, located at 112 E. Northwest Hwy. and 1601 W. Golf Road, Figolah said.
Trustee A. John Korn said one of the larger fire trucks doesn't fit into the station's garage, so it's covered with a tarp during inclement weather.
"The more modern equipment is much larger than the fire station is built for," Korn said. "This is not a good situation."
Figolah said the cost and size figures for the station are only preliminary since they was based on a needs assessment and not on actually architectural renderings.
The board could also reject the idea of a new station entirely after it sees the architectural schematics.
The next step for the board is to vote on whether to go with the staff recommendation of hiring SRBL Architects for design services or request that other architectural firms bid on the opportunity.
That vote is expected at the next board meeting at 7 p.m. April 1 at village hall, 50 S. Emerson St.