Port firehouse design proposals due this month

Port Washington officials are waiting to see how many firms will submit proposals to build a new firehouse on the city’s west side and refurbish the existing station in downtown. 

Requests for proposals were to be sent to eight firms, all of which have Wisconsin offices. The proposals are due at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20.

The proposals will be reviewed and firms interviewed by a committee Tuesday, Jan. 7, with the contract expected to be awarded by the Common Council on Jan. 21.

The request for proposals specifies that the new station, which is estimated to cost $5 million, be built on three to five acres of the former Schanen farm on Highway 33, which is owned by the city, “or similar property in the general vicinity.”

The proposed station should be 15,000 to 20,000 square feet and include six drive-through apparatus bays, a training area, eight dorm rooms, male and female locker facilities, a secure emergency medical services supply room, a workout facility, kitchen and lounge, conference room and a training or meeting room that could double as a community room.

The proposal to renovate the current fire station at 104 W. Washington St. calls for dorm rooms, separate male and female locker rooms and a workout facility to be created. The parking and entrances should be updated and the windows, doors and garage doors modified to be energy efficient, and the fire detection and suppression systems expanded.

Police and Fire Commission members last month debated who would review the bids, with Ald. Dan Benning suggesting the membership include people with building and fire service expertise.

“Having someone to ask the right questions is key,” commission member Patty Ruth said.

The commission ultimately agreed to have roughly six members, including Mitchell, former Fire Chief Marc Eernisse, architects Mike Ehrlich and Mike Müller, Public Works Director Rob Vanden Noven and commission member Jim Biever, who headed the fire station taskforce.

After the committee has culled the applicants to two or three finalists, commission members said, they will interview them and make a recommendation to the Common Council.
City Administrator Mark Grams has said the council should interview the finalist before awarding the contract.

Commission members agreed they would like the finalists to be presented to them by Jan. 13.

Even as the city moves ahead with its plans to design a new fire station on Highway 33, the city is continuing to negotiate with the Village of Saukville for the right to provide sewer service to the proposed location. 

The Common Council on Tuesday held a closed meeting to discuss the issue but took no action in open session.

Even though the city owns the land and would provide water to the site, the Village of Saukville has the right to provide sewer service there. 

Officials have said that if they aren’t able to provide sewer service to the site, they may build the new facility with a holding tank.