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Council advances Station 24 design agreement; asks for monthly updates on station and fleet projects
Summary
Council advanced a design-build agreement and selection for Fire Station 24 and agreed to monthly written updates and quarterly in‑person briefings on Station 24 and fleet maintenance projects; staff said the project followed a standard procurement timeline and that hiring a dedicated project representative should shorten review time.
Tampa City Council moved forward on the design phase for a planned Fire Station 24 and took steps to tighten oversight of fire‑related capital projects, including fleet maintenance.
Contract administration staff described the procurement timeline for the station’s design‑build solicitation and told council the process followed typical public‑project advertising and selection milestones. Staff said Otero Engineering completed a site investigation in late 2023 and the city selected a design‑build firm following an RFQ in mid‑2024; the firm recommended to the city for design services was Jay Kokalakis (contractor selection and negotiation details were described in staff presentations). The formal agreement for preconstruction services was placed on the council docket as agenda item 22 and the council voted to advance the item.
Council response and reporting: Councilmember Louis Viera and other members said they want more frequent, public updates because Station 24 has been a long‑running priority for council and the fire union. In response, the council voted unanimously to require monthly written updates, with quarterly in‑person briefings, beginning in March, to cover design progress, a projected groundbreaking date and fleet maintenance activities. The motion asked for reports from Tampa Fire Rescue leadership, the city’s contract administration office and the project manager selected for the work.
Why it matters: Station 24 was driven by operational needs in North Tampa; council and the union flagged high call volume at nearby stations and asked the city to prioritize facilities and fleet investments. Councilmembers and the firefighters’ union expressed frustration at project lead times but urged moving forward and increasing transparency.
Staff notes and next steps: Contract administration said the design agreement includes a projected 461‑day preconstruction timeline from the executed agreement. To accelerate review steps, staff said the city will hire a project representative to coordinate technical reviews between the design firm, Tampa Fire Rescue and contract administration. Council also received an update that staff are pursuing property offers and expect to present a contract for a city facility site (fleet/supply) within weeks; if due diligence is clear staff said closing could occur in roughly 60 days from contract approval.
Action (summary): Council advanced the station design agreement (agenda item 22) and voted to require monthly written updates and quarterly in‑person briefings starting in March on Station 24 and fleet maintenance projects. The motion to require the reporting cadence carried unanimously.
Implementation and oversight: Contract administration and Tampa Fire Rescue will provide the monthly written updates and quarterly in‑person briefings to council; the city will also complete property due diligence and post an updated project schedule to council as the design firm delivers 30/60/90 percent design milestones.
