West Manatee Fire Rescue board members will get the news — good or bad — at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 17, when they meet at the WMFR administration building at 6417 Third Ave., Bradenton.
That’s when Greg Ross of Ross Built Inc. of Holmes Beach will deliver the company’s estimate of costs to remodel WMFR’s Station No. 1 in Holmes Beach.
WMFR Chief Andy Price said he anticipates the estimate to be $200,000-$300,000. The district has designated $300,000 in its budget for capital facilities, and Price was confident the appropriation is sufficient.
Ross Built renovated WMFR’s Third Avenue administration building last year after WMFR purchased the former medical facility to house its administrative personnel. The building is about 200 yards from WMFR’s Station No. 3.
WMFR board members have said they are pleased with that project, which was completed for the $500,000 estimate, Price said.
The board has given Ross Built a “laundry list” of what it wants accomplished on the Holmes Beach project, Price said.
That list includes new air conditioning units and duct work, new ceiling insulation, renovation of previous office space into living space for the Emergency Medical Service personnel assigned to the station, a sprinkler system, remodeling the fitness room, building a room to store firefighter gear and the purchase and installation of a new generator, among other items.
Ross said he would bring the priority list with estimated costs to the meeting. The board will then be able to consider the list against the funds available.
“We really won’t know what we have to do until Ross Built presents us with their list,” Price said. “We have only so much money, and we’re not doing everything recommended in the report.”
In 2008, Totems Architect, Planning and Design of Sarasota did a $75,000 study of WMFR facilities and recommended that Station No. 1 be “gutted and rebuilt,” Price said.
Station No. 1 was built in 1987 and has outlived its usefulness, the Totems report said.
However, Price said the district does not have the funds to build a new station, hence the remodeling project.
Ross said he was working to hold costs to a minimum to ensure the “laundry list” could be completed.
“This is a design-build project, and I’m still working on the figures,” he said, when asked for an estimated cost.
Ross, who was raised on Anna Maria Island, said the company would use as many Island sub-contractors as possible for the project.
“We know many of them and what they are capable of. We know they will give us the best work and the best pricing,” he said.
Once Station No. 1 is renovated, Price said the board would turn its attention to Station No. 2 on Cortez Road.
That station was built in 1986.
“We know it’s too small, and we will need an addition there,” Price said.