Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
East Haddam building committee presents $15.9 million plan to replace aging firehouse
Summary
A town building committee presented a $15.9 million design for a new 14,500-square-foot firehouse to the Board of Selectmen, citing structural failures, OSHA-driven health requirements and escalating construction costs; a referendum is planned for the fall.
Craig Meadsfield, chairman of the town’s building committee, told the Board of Selectmen that the committee’s work shows the existing firehouse is no longer suitable for renovation and that a new 14,500-square-foot building is the practical alternative. "We are now comfortable coming to you with the number," Meadsfield said, describing the committee’s review of site work, well tests, hazardous assessments and kitchen approvals and saying the design reflects current operational and safety requirements.
Architect David Stein of Silver Petrucelli and Associates summarized structural findings that showed rotted base plates, delamination of metal siding and insufficient clearances for modern apparatus, and the team described a design with five drive-through bays, separated living and training spaces and dedicated gear-washing and exhaust systems to meet OSHA and health guidance. Stein said the design-development estimate rose from roughly $15.16 million to about $15.9 million after detailed contractor pricing and geotechnical study work.
The committee outlined a timeline to go to bid in the fall, with construction estimated to take about a year once started, and noted cost escalation risks: the presenters said about $300,000 of escalation has already been recorded since the DD estimate and that delaying the project could add 5–6% per year. Meadsfield said the committee will continue public outreach — a website, FAQs and a referendum flyer — ahead of a planned referendum date tied to the election calendar.
