South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Mehlville fire district breaks ground for new firehouse

Bill Milligan photo
Bill Milligan photo

Mehlville Fire Protection District officials broke ground Friday afternoon for the construction of a new No. 2 firehouse at 5434 Telegraph Road in Oakville.

Board of Directors Secretary Ed Ryan told the Call that the new firehouse is being built without a tax-rate increase or any type of bonded indebtedness.

In fact, Board of Directors Chairman Aaron Hilmer told the Call that the new firehouse is being “built in an environment in which we’ve cut the tax rate.”

The Board of Directors voted unanimously May 22 to award a contract totaling $1,274,030 to United Construction to build the firehouse at the corner of Telegraph Road and Whitshire Drive.

The fire district received 14 base bids for constructing the new firehouse with the lowest ones submitted by Schneider Construction of O’Fallon at $1,186,715.70 and United Construction of St. Louis at $1,190,000.

But Greg Garner of Archimages, hired by the district as an architectural and engineering consultant, recommended United Construction based on its experience and because Schneider Construction did not properly fill out the application.

While United provided an additional estimate of $56,000 to construct new traffic signalization near the firehouse, Schneider included that cost in its base bid, but did not break it out, Garner previously said.

That $56,000 is included in the overall project budget and was added to the contract with United Construction, Ryan previously said. Among other costs added to the contract with United is $28,000 for “a dry-pipe sprinkler system” mandated by Fire Marshal Ed Berkel.

Before bids were sought, board members agreed that the maximum cost of the new firehouse will be roughly $1.792 million — excluding the cost of the land. The cost of the one-story energy-efficient building with 6,554 square feet of space originally was estimated at $1.42 million.

Additional costs, including architectural and engineering fees, utility relocations, landscaping and furniture, fixtures and equipment, could total nearly $372,000.

The existing No. 2 firehouse, built in the 1950s in the 5600 block of Telegraph Road, is deteriorating and needs to be replaced, according to district officials.

The Board of Directors last year purchased the property for the new firehouse at the northeast corner of Telegraph Road and Whitshire Drive from Darrel D. “Dean” Climer of Oakville for $600,000.

The existing No. 2 firehouse will remain open during construction. Once the new firehouse is completed, the board plans to sell the old fire station and land.

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