Fire Station Project
Fire Station Project Update – May 2025
The new Fire Station project design development concluded in April, and updated renderings are now available.
Recent progress includes:
- Cost Estimating: Two independent cost estimates were completed and are being reconciled to ensure the project remains within budget.
- Permitting: The Maine DEP permit application has been submitted.
- Alerting System: Design for the Fire Station Alerting System is underway and will continue through May.
- Design & Engineering: The project has entered the Construction Documents phase, with drawings and specifications being finalized throughout May and June.
- Utility Coordination: The team is awaiting a cost estimate from Central Maine Power to raise overhead power lines.
- Site Plan: The project received site plan approval from the Planning Board at their May meeting. The site plan is available for review here.
Project History:
On November 8, 2022, voters approved a $13.05 million bond referendum for the design, construction, and equipping of a new fire station. 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 current fire station, which opened in 1958, was prioritized for replacement 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 $1,738,376 using TIF revenue and $1,750,000 in Congressional Directed Spending.
Project schedule:
Construction: spring 2025-fall 2026
Project Updates
October 2, 2024- Concept Plans
June 12, 2024- Designer Services (Context Architecture)
February 7, 2024- Owner's Representative (Colliers)
June 25, 2023- Federal Funding Secured
November 8, 2022 - Bond Referendum Results
October 27, 2022 - Public Informational Meeting
October 21, 2022 - Fire Station Tour
August 3, 2022 - City Council Approval of Bond Referendum
July 22, 2022 - Concept Drawings and Probable Cost Estimates
June 15, 2022 - City Council Fire Station Workshop
October 29, 2021 - Fire Station Residential Analysis
May 7, 2021 - Morse High School Reuse Study
November 16, 2020 - Fire and Police Facility Study
