Hoffman Estates approves design and construction contracts for new Fire Station 22; signals bond reimbursement intent and awards alerting system for Station 21

Trustees authorized contracts to design and manage construction of a new Fire Station 22 and approved an ordinance allowing future bond proceeds to reimburse early project costs, while the village also awarded a contract for the station alerting system at the new Fire Station 21.

The approvals came during the village’s March 24 committee and board meetings as staff said design work for Station 22 is expected to start in June and a bond issue to pay construction costs is likely in late 2025 or early 2026.

Village Manager Dan O'Malley said the village completed a 2023 feasibility study that found rebuilding the oldest stations was more cost-effective than renovating them. “Based off of that, both new Fire Station 21 and new Fire Station 22 projects were put into the village's CIP program,” O'Malley said. He told trustees Station 21 is under construction and staff wants to follow the same project team for Station 22 because of satisfactory performance on Station 21.

Trustees authorized two professional-service contracts for Station 22: Camosy Construction (construction management) at a fee reduced about 5% from the Station 21 arrangement, and FGM Architects for architectural and engineering services also at a roughly 5% discount. O'Malley said the Camosy construction-management fee would be $1,175,300 and FGM's flat design fee would be $1,100,000; both contracts were reviewed and approved by village legal staff.

Finance staff presented an ordinance “expressing official intent regarding certain capital expenditures to be reimbursed from proceeds of a bond obligation.” Rachel (Finance Director) explained that the ordinance allows the village to use future bond proceeds to reimburse costs the village will begin incurring now—design, demolition and early construction expenses—and noted bond proceeds must be spent within three years. She said the actual bond amount will not be finalized until design advances but that the village expects to time issuance to favorable market conditions.

The board also authorized a sole-source award to Digicom Installations Inc. for the station alerting system at Fire Station 21 (contract not to exceed $85,573.43). A staff presentation said that installation work for Station 21 is part of the ongoing construction project and that Digicom is the known installer for the equipment specified.

Other committee items related to public safety were approved by voice vote and recorded as passed. Trustees asked about timing: staff projected to begin design around June 1, produce initial sketches in a few weeks, return with design packages by late summer and complete design near February with construction beginning around June of the following year. O'Malley said demolition of the existing building on the new Station 22 site is planned after a current tenant’s move-out (July 1) and will be handled through the construction-manager contract.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the professional services contracts for Station 22 (construction manager and architect), passed the ordinance authorizing later bond reimbursement for Station 22 expenses, and awarded the Digicom contract for Station 21 alerting. All motions were passed by voice vote with no nays recorded in the minutes.

Staff and trustees said they will follow the same public-engagement steps taken for Station 21, including neighborhood meetings during design and opportunities for public comment as plans progress.