The Bath City Council has hired a project management firm to oversee the construction of the city’s next fire station, pressherald.com reported.
The council last week unanimously agreed to pay Colliers, an international real estate company based in Canada, up to $577,485 for its services, the report said. The new fire station is expected to be completed by mid-2026.
The new fire station is expected to cost $16.5 million, according to the report. Voters approved borrowing up to $13 million to help pay for the project, and Sen. Susan Collins secured $1.75 million in federal funding. The remainder of the cost will be paid for with city tax increment financing funds, the report said.
Voters approved a $13.05 million bond referendum on Nov. 8, 2022, for the design, construction, and equipping of a new fire station, according to cityofbathmaine.org. The project will replace the current fire station at 864 High Street and will be located at the north end of the former Morse High School property on High Street.
The new fire station project originated from a Facilities Committee walkthrough in 2017 and has been in development since 2020 when the City contracted with Harriman to conduct a facility assessment, spatial needs analysis, and conceptual design for the Fire and Police Departments to help inform the former Morse High School reuse study. Both facilities were found to be inadequate for the current programs for each department.
The former Morse site was evaluated for a potential combined public safety building, but the site did not have enough developable space for both departments. The fire station, which opened in 1958, was prioritized due to the level of deficiencies, the needs of the department, and the location of the site. In 2021, the public feedback from the former Morse reuse study supported a mixed-use redevelopment of the site, including a fire station.
The cost estimate for the project is $16,538,376. The amount to be borrowed for the project was reduced by $3,488,376 due to recent amendments to the City’s TIF districts to allow for public safety facility project costs. If approved, the debt payment at 3% interest will be $750,000/year over 25 years. It is estimated that an increase in property taxes on a home assessed at $250,000 will be $125.
