Residents and council raise quality concerns about Fire Station 37 renovations

Public commenters and several council members raised concerns Thursday about the quality of renovation work at Kenner’s Fire Station 37, saying showers are leaking, tile and waterproofing methods appear improper and mold forced personnel out of the station earlier this year.

Stephen Dunn, a resident of District 5, told the council he visited the remodeled Station 37 and said, "if that's complete and if that's what we pay for, we're getting ripped off." He later told the council the station had been uninhabitable because "it was full of mold." Council members and the mayor responded that the project remains a work in progress and city staff have compiled a punch list of repairs.

Stacy Alessandro, a District 4 resident and contractor by background, described workmanship she called "atrocious" and flagged concerns about waterproofing and plumbing at multiple showers. "I guarantee you all 3 of those showers will fail," she said, urging the council to hire an independent inspector with tile expertise.

Mayor Mike Glazier and Councilman Lahat said the city is addressing the problems. Lahat said he conducted a walkthrough and created a punch list with Chief Jason Dyer; "this is all going to be fixed," he said. Glazier said final inspections and contractor corrections are part of the process and that the city will require fixes before final acceptance.

Catherine Toppel, director of inspection/code enforcement, confirmed a building permit was issued and that inspections occur at the start, middle and end of large projects. "We generally don't go out there every day," she said, adding that the project is ongoing and "it won't pass the final if it doesn't meet the requirements." She did not provide a final completion date.

Council members and public speakers pressed for continued oversight and a follow-up report at the next meeting. Greg Tefft, a resident of the Fifth District, urged more robust enforcement of contractor progress and said the conditions raised questions about how the city inspects ongoing work. The council agreed to monitor progress and to follow up with the fire chief and general services department.

The comments came during the meeting's public-comment segment. No final action — such as withholding payment or canceling the contract — was recorded during the session; council members said staff and the contractor must complete the outstanding corrections before final acceptance.