The Cutchogue Fire District has proposed a remodel of its existing firehouse that would nearly double the square footage, with a $16 million bond vote coming up in September.
Commissioners said most of the New Suffolk Road building would be torn down and rebuilt. The nearly 21,000 square-foot rebuild would add a second floor and more efficient, sustainable plumbing and electrical equipment, including solar panels on the roof.
Truck bays would be built to accommodate future vehicle upgrades and the new building would meet accessibility codes, with steel and masonry construction throughout. An updated floor plan would include space for administrative workers, community meetings and storage, along with a kitchen, bunkroom and members’ lounge.
The estimated timeline for the project is between a year and a year to 18 months from bond approval, commissioners said. If the proposal is approved by the town over the next few months, construction could begin next spring. The department would move vehicles to a sprung building across the street while the facilities are renovated and possibly rent an office for clerical work, or put up a temporary building.
The project may not require the full $16 million bond, according to board chairman Dave Blados, but the department wants to avoid issuing another if costs are higher than expected.
Volunteers described the project and offered tours at the fire department at an open house Saturday. Mr. Blados called it an opportunity for the public to “put their two cents in.”
Commissioner Mike Finnican pointed out on a tour of the facility several issues with the building, including cramped space, exposed electrical wiring and a leaking roof.
“We’ve been patching it for years,” he said. He called the proposed expansion and renovations a “necessity,” and emphasized the firehouse belongs to all Cutchogue taxpayers.
“It’s not just for the firemen. It’s for every taxpayer in Cutchogue,” he said.
The original fire department building was constructed around 1928, according to a pamphlet distributed at the open house. It was expanded several times over the years to accommodate space needs, with the most recent in the 1990s.
The pamphlet points out that two response vehicles are housed in a building across the street from the main firehouse, which can cause problems for responding volunteers reporting to two different buildings. Turnout gear is stored on racks near trucks, creating “a potentially dangerous situation when members are ‘gearing up’ alongside vehicles that could be moving,” it adds.
The current building also lacks a required vehicle exhaust ventilation system, needed storage and ADA accommodations. The original 1928 portion of the building has numerous structural cracks as well, and the proximity of the kitchen area to the truck bays poses a potential health code violation, according to presentation documents.
Additionally, the chief’s office is in a basement with one exit, directly under bathrooms that have been prone to leaking in recent years, causing damage to equipment and records.
“Bottom line is, the building is in such disrepair, this is probably the best way to do it. Can’t put money into something that’s going to get worse and worse,” Mr. Finnican said. “You get an old building, keep putting money into it, you get to the point where it’s like a refrigerator — you fix it so many times, eventually you have to buy a new refrigerator.”
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