By Gary S. Hatrick
The Laker Correspondent
ZEPHYRHILLS — Renovations on Zephyrhills Fire Station No. 2 have finally begun with city employees pulling down drywall and insulation almost two years after flooding damaged its interior.
The fire station, located next to City Hall on Sixth Avenue, has been vacant since Jan. 23, 2008, when the flooding occurred. Since then, firefighters have been housed at the World War II barracks at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.
“We finally got it started,” said Zephyrhills Fire Chief Keith Williams. “This is just the first stage.”
City officials were evaluating the building last week to determine how to best proceed with the renovations. City Council authorized $250,000 for the first stage of restorations, which will make the building livable once again for on-call firefighters.
“To avoid a lot of permitting, we’re doing the work ourselves,” said Public Works Director Rick Moore.
City Manager Steve Spina proposed, and the City Council approved, two stages of restoration at the Oct. 26 council meeting. Spina proposed that the City serves as general contractor rather than go out for bid on the renovations.
Under this plan, restoration will be done in two phases. In the first phase, city crews will do the demolition of the interior of the living quarters. Since this is interior work, architects and engineers will not be needed, saving the City money. However, remodeling of the living spaces will be bid out. When completed, firefighters could then be moved back into the station.
In phase two, the western bays will be converted to office space. Since that will require exterior work and a new roof, a civil engineer will be needed. The City hopes to fund these improvements through grants.
Moving firefighters to the World War II barracks was thought to be a temporary housing solution but stretched into nearly two years as the Zephyrhills City Council deliberated over whether the station should be abandoned and additional space added to Fire Station No. 1 on Dairy Road, or whether a new station should be built on the current footprint or in another location.
The council seemed to be leaning toward a new station until the current economic downturn required budget cuts and leaner spending. A price tag of more than $1 million caused the council to seek a less expensive solution.
Council members expressed frustration in several meetings at the length of time it took to come to a decision on the matter.
Zephyrhills City Council President Jodi Wilkeson said she is glad to see progress.
“I’m very glad that the project is underway and that the staff pulled together to do this as cost effectively as possible,” Wilkeson said.
