TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Fire Department Moves Renovation Target Date

ADVERTISEMENT

By MANDY SHEETS | Highlands Today

Published: December 21, 2007

SEBRING — Renovations to Sebring Fire Department's Central Station were supposed to be completed by now, but the major work hasn't even started yet.

The $500,000 project, which started in February, originally was slated for a December 2007 completion, but now city officials said a more realistic target is summer 2008.

The project to renovate the historic station, located at 301 N. Mango St., will soon be rebid for a third time. The first bids were rejected because the fire department staff had not had adequate time to review the specifics of the project before the project was bid.

"They had a lot of input about changes they wanted to see, and we didn't have time to include that in the original bids," City Administrator Bob Hoffman said. "We asked city council to reject those bids so that their suggestions could be included."

The city council rejected the second round of bids at Tuesday's meeting because E.O. Koch, the construction company chosen for the project, said the insurance specifications in the bid were too difficult and expensive to obtain.

Mayor George Hensley, who is a sales manager for Heacock Insurance Group, said the bid included a $5 million umbrella liability, which is not typically included in city construction projects, and would cost $20,000 or more to obtain.

"Some bidders may not have bid because they did not have or could not obtain the extra coverage at a reasonable cost," Hensley said. "After reviewing the project and the anticipated low exposure to liability, the city has determined our usual coverage will be sufficient."

Advertising the project again and obtaining new bids may allow additional bidders to qualify and may even lower the cost of the project, Hensley said.

Meanwhile, firefighters continue to operate from two portables - one for the living quarters and one for administration.

"I have a lot of empathy for the firefighters who have to live in the temporary quarters," Hoffman said. "We just hope they can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Modifications to the interior, which was damaged by the 2004 hurricanes, will not only make better use of the space available but also ensure the building meets current fire safety and ADA codes.

The living quarters of the renovated station will feature a fully accommodated kitchen and dining room, a quiet lounge and a training room, which can be used as additional sleeping space in the event of a disaster. An additional restroom will be built and bunk areas will be divided with walls to allow for male/female diversity.

The first floor will have a handicapped-accessible bathroom, office space and a reception area.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT