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Commission approves $951,502 design contract for new Fire/Medical Station 6
Summary
The Lawrence City Commission voted 4-0 to authorize a $951,502 design agreement with SFS Architecture for a proposed Fire/Medical Station 6 at 55 Stoneridge Drive; staff said the project addresses a northwest response-time gap and will include a drainage study and sustainability measures.
The City Commission authorized the city manager to execute a $951,502 design agreement with SFS Architecture for the design of Fire/Medical Station 6, a project staff said will close a northwest response-time gap and expand the city’s emergency response capacity.
Casey Toomey, assistant city manager, told the commission the proposed site is 55 Stoneridge Drive and that schematic design work began in August 2025. Toomey said staff previously approved alternative delivery for the project and will pursue construction manager-at-risk (CMAR) delivery for the build phase. “We’re asking you to authorize the city manager to execute the agreement with SFS Architecture,” Toomey said, adding the design contract amount and a project timeline that anticipates construction beginning in 2027–2028 and station occupancy in early 2029.
Commissioners pressed staff on why the design fee was higher than standard percentages for simple projects. Stephen Halston, project manager in Municipal Services Office, explained that the city’s purchasing procedures include a sliding design-fee guideline tied to construction cost and complexity; for projects over $5 million the guideline is around 7% and the proposed fee for this specialized fire station is “right at about 7.6, 7.7” percent, he said. Halston also said the project will target LEED Gold and that staff are exploring geothermal and other sustainability features.
Neighbors raised stormwater concerns during public comment, urging additional borings and a thorough hydrology and hydraulics study. Halston and other staff committed to completing a drainage study and holding a public open house on stormwater mitigation: “The golden rule of that is, you know, make your neighbor’s drainage worse — essentially, you can’t put more water on them or you can’t put water on them faster,” Halston said. Finance staff said permanent financing will follow approval of a guaranteed maximum price (GMP), and that an interim $1.5 million temporary note is currently in place to cover near-term expenditures.
The motion to authorize the design agreement passed on a voice vote recorded as 4-0.
