Killington select board reviews report on fire department facilities, options to renovate considered

Mountain Times
KILLINGTON — On Tuesday, July 8, the Killington Selectboard held a special meeting at 10 a.m. to review the professional report on the town’s Fire Department facilities.
Architects Dore and Whittier were hired by the town to review the Fire Department facilities (which includes two stations), and provide recommendations for renovating the aging facilities. The final report will be issued later this summer.
The architects recently conducted a comprehensive existing conditions assessment, site analysis, programming and conceptual design for the fire facilities.
They reported that the current stations are in disrepair and no longer meet state criteria or the needs of the volunteer fire department.
Their assessment noted the following:
The 1974 building on Killington Road has uneven floors, inefficient insulation, plumbing and electricity, no cross ventilation, not enough storage for equipment, and other problems.
With a lack of proper storage for the turnout gear, the gear is exposed to soot and sunlight, both factors that play a part in deterioration of the expensive equipment.
The station is also missing a sprinkler system, a criteria for new stations being built or old ones undergoing serious renovations.
The station is very close to Killington Road, creating safety hazards for the department and disrupting traffic. Fire stations are typically set back 50-60 feet from the road, not 5 or 6 feet.
The building lacks two means of egress which are required for exiting.
Building does not meet handicap accessibility or ADA Code.
The number of toilets need to be increased to meet plumbing code.
An elevator is required for all publicly funded buildings, which the current building does not have.
The lack of room in the vehicle bays, causes firefighters to be exposed to unsafe exhaust.
The second station on River Road will require a significant investment to effectively accommodate the current equipment in the years to come.
The architects presented options to consider, including: a renovation of the building, additions to the building, or demolishing it to build a new one. Some options included combining the River Road Station into the Killington Road Station. All options required purchasing more of the surrounding property to establish a parking lot (parking for the current facility is located on an adjacent property).
Other possibilities included adding a police department onto the fire station to give the Killington police a more stable home base and clump the emergency services together for convenience and efficiency. Both departments would be able to share a wide variety of resources, including radio towers and conference rooms.
In reviewing all the options, the select board concurred with the architects, that the size of the Killington Road lot is a major limitation.
The Killington Road lot is less than one acre and currently much of the parking for the facility is located on private property. The building is also close to a stream, and while there is currently no FEMA flood plain designation, flood waters have come close to the station. There is currently no storm water management requirement but this would be required if any redevelopment occurs. Additonally, a 35,000 gallon water storage tank and pumps from Roaring Brook and would have to be replaced if there was an extensive remodel.
To accommodate a renovation, additional land would need to be purchased. Costs were not discussed as the options need to be refined. Cost estimates will be included in subsequent meetings.
The board, the architects and fire department eliminated what was expected to be the largest and likely most expensive option. The team will now work to flesh out two options for consideration: 1. Tear down the existing building and construct a new building on the current site. 2. Construct a new building on new site.
Additionally, the architects will provide an estimate for bringing the current building up to code in the short term.
The board will take the issue up again when the study is completed later this summer and options are fleshed out.

Comment:
Currently the board is waiting on a report on alternative sites. That should drive the cost of the project up beyond the $300 or $400 per square foot estimate considered at that meeting.
I  wonder if the town will retain this structure as an asset or if it is going to be owned by the Fire Department.