The design of the front of the Jerome Township Division of Fire’s second fire station, Station 211, is illustrated above in the preliminary elevations from Mull & Weithman Architects, Inc. Construction of the new station is funded entirely by Nationwide Realty, through an agreement made during the development of Jerome Village. (Graphic submitted)
Jerome Township is making progress toward its second fire station.
The board recently voted 2-0 to move forward with advertising bids for the construction of Station 211. Trustee Joe Craft was absent.
Jerome Township Division of Fire Chief and Director of Departments Douglas Stewart said he believes the project will go to bid in a matter of weeks.
“This is going to be a functional, safe fire department that’s not going to last 20 years but 50, 60 years into the future,” he said.
The new fire station is being funded by Nationwide Realty, through an agreement made during the development of Jerome Village. Levy dollars are not being used for the construction of the building.
Stewart explained that township officials have worked with the project architect to complete “basic elevations” of the fire station.
The exterior of the building will include pre-finished metal walls, along with just over three feet of a manufactured stone veneer at their base, according to preliminary elevations from Mull & Weithman Architects, Inc.
Above the front entrance will be an illuminated box sign with the Jerome Township Division of Fire logo, 9 feet in diameter.
The west side of the building will have three bays with insulated doors while the east side will have two.
The drawings also reflect an adjustment to the location of the fire station, as the land previously donated by Nationwide Realty Investors would not have an adequate sightline or maneuverability for large vehicles.
To accommodate, the developer donated land across the street and the project architect flipped the original plans.
Station 211 will be located at Ravenhill Parkway and Ewing Road in Jerome Village, near Abraham Depp Elementary School.
Stewart said township officials are working through final architecture and engineering details before submitting the drawings to the county for building permits. Then, the township will advertise bids for construction.
IAP Government Services Group, a consulting firm, is overseeing the construction of the new fire station.
Stewart told the trustees that the budget for the project includes the IAP management cost, architect fees and associated legal costs. Along with the structure itself, the budget accounts for equipment and furnishings inside it.
“Everything has been scrutinized by our team internally,” Stewart said of the proposed budget.
However, Stewart emphasized that the numbers are “tentative” and officials will not know the actual price of the project until bids are received.
For that reason, Stewart said he cannot yet publicly release the proposed budget “so it does not give any one contractor an unfair advantage over another.”
Once a bid is accepted, Stewart said the final cost of the project will be made public.
From there, Jerome Township officials will have to present plans to the community authority in Jerome Village for approval of actual construction.
“We still have a lot of work to do on this project, but it is getting closer every day,” Stewart wrote in an email.