Brian Hubert
Daily Freeman, Kingston, N.Y.
(TNS)
KINGSTON, N.Y. — The Common Council is set to vote in November on spending $1.25 million to acquire a 13,000-square-foot building at 18-30 East O’Reilly Street to serve as a new Central Fire Station.
The building is directly across the street from the current Central Fire Station, which City Engineer John Schultheis told lawmakers is no longer suitable for meeting the Kingston Fire Department’s needs. He said this building last housed a Central Hudson garage and a thrift store.
The Common Council’s Finance and Audit Committee unanimously approved the plan, clearing the way for the full Common Council to vote on the purchase at its Nov. 12 meeting.
Schultheis said if lawmakers approve the $1.25 million expenditure, the money will go towards acquiring the property and designing the new fire station. He added it was too early to offer an estimate of what the full project will cost.
“We could start construction in 2026 and that would give us 1.5 years to secure grant funding to reduce the cost to city taxpayers,” Schultheis said.
Renderings presented to lawmakers showed five engine bays large enough for fire trucks in a new building. “It needs to be completely new construction to handle the height and seismic loads we need,” he added. “The current garage does not have the depth or height we need.”
A rendering of a potential New Central Fire Station at 18-30 East O’Reilly Street was presented to the Common Council’s Finance and Audit Comittee by City Engineer John Schultheis on Wednesday, Oct. 9. (City of Kingston)
Kingston Fire Chief Chris Rea said these large bays would future-proof the station in case a larger ladder truck is needed at Central Station should larger and taller buildings get built in Midtown under the city’s new form-based zoning code.
The new building will feature a brick facade and decorative tower feature to blend in with other nearby buildings, he said.
Other portions of the building would be remodeled to feature new sleeping quarters, men’s and women’s showers and bathrooms, living quarters, a kitchen and lounge and gym for firefighters along with administrative space including a deputy chief’s office, he added.
Rea told lawmakers that the new building could also house an emergency operations center where department heads could work in one centralized location to handle all emergency management.
“Right now it’s a hodgepodge,” Rea admitted.
“There’s no easily accessible space and it’s challenging for everyone to get together,” Mayor Steve Noble said. “The current Central Fire Station does not meet the communications needs of now.”
A current garage facing Hasbrouck Avenue could be used for storage of the department’s water rescue boat and hazmat equipment, Schultheis said.
A secondary garage room would house a backup generator.
Schultheis said the city also plans to improve the streetscape along East O’Reilly by installing a sidewalk and better defining the limits of vehicular and pedestrian access
The acquisition would come with a deed to six parking spaces in an existing parking lot with the possibility of negotiating a deal for more, he said.
As for the current Central Fire Station, Rea said it will shift to housing the ambulances for the city-run ambulance service.
Noble said he plans to appear before the Common Council’s Laws and Rules Committee on Oct. 16, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the city’s Emergency Management plans and needs for an emergency management center.
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