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Council approves purchase of 5755 North Washington for fire marshal offices and storage
Summary
The committee approved buying a two-lot property at 5755 North Washington Street to relocate fire prevention and marshal staff; the property includes offices, a heated garage and billboard lease income that staff cited as partial payback.
The Committee of the Whole unanimously approved the purchase of the property at 5755 North Washington Street to house the fire marshal’s office and related functions.
“This started last December,” Fire Chief Lorenz told the committee during the presentation, outlining space and operational constraints at Fire Station 1 and the benefits of the new property. “It has office space, it's got a garage and for our fire prevention division, community risk reduction, it can actually fit our need right now with really not having to do any modifications to the building.”
Lorenz said the property consists of two lots and includes an office area (three offices and a small conference room), a large heated garage, a break room and a shower-equipped bathroom. He described current space shortages at Station 1, noting the fire marshal staff had grown from two employees in 1979 to four in recent years and that plan review and meetings with architects and developers are difficult in the present layout. He also said the property’s location could help future intersection improvements.
Staff noted the property has three billboards subject to a long-term lease that produced about $14,200 in income in February 2025 and, as stated in staff materials, could generate roughly $600,000 over the remaining 28 years of the lease. Chief Lorenz said some city vehicles could be housed in the building’s garage and that the configuration would allow the city to expand the marshal office without adding onto Station 1.
Council Member Kosowski moved approval; Council Member Burke seconded. President Sandy called for the vote and the motion carried unanimously.
Why it matters: acquiring dedicated office and garage space addresses immediate workspace constraints for fire prevention and marshal staff and provides room for modest growth. The staff report also highlights lease revenue from three on-site billboards as an offset to acquisition cost.
Next steps: staff will proceed with closing and occupancy planning as described in the staff report; the council did not attach additional conditions in the public record.
