The background
Originally built in 2002, Chief of Department Mike Mulligan said the construction of Station 29 was subpar and resulted in several issues needing to be addressed just over 20 years later. Additionally, the station was built with a volunteer fire department in mind and did not include dorm space, which is necessary for the full-time department AFD is today.
While Mulligan said the department originally planned to just renovate the existing Station 29, it ended up being more cost-effective to rebuild the entire structure instead.
The details
The original Station 29 was demolished and construction began in 2021. Mulligan noted supply chain issues following the COVID-19 pandemic led to multiple project delays throughout the process.
The new station includes 13 dorms, a weight room, a community room, a kitchen and dining room area, a day room and six bays for equipment, Mulligan said.
While the original bid for the project was roughly $6.9 million, Mulligan said the actual cost will likely come in higher, however he didn't have final numbers as of mid-December. He noted AFD secured a commercial loan for the project, which will be funded through taxpayer dollars.
The impact
The Station 29 crew—which has been housed at AFD's maintenance facility for the past three years during construction—was able to move into the new station Dec. 20. Mulligan said the move allowed AFD to return to normal operations and should improve response times for the Atascocita community.
"That will be a big boon for the community," Mulligan said. "They'll see improved service, we'll be back to where we're supposed to be [in terms of response times] and they'll have a fire station that's going to last 50 years or more."
What's next?
Mulligan added a feasibility study is being done for a renovation of Station 39 as well as a refresh of the department's administration building located on Timber Forest Drive. AFD is also planning to add a training facility next to its maintenance facility, as part of a three-phase plan for that property, which is located on Rustic Timbers Drive.
"Right now, we're struggling to find a place to do hands-on training," Mulligan said. "So we're building our own facility so that we can take care of our training needs internally."
Exact timelines and cost estimates for these projects had not been announced as of press time.
