$2.3 Million Fire House Starts Now

The Mehlville Fire Protection District holds a groundbreaking Monday, 2 p.m. on a new Fire House No. 3 to be built across from Lindbergh High School, on the boulevard.

The current No. 3 is on a sliver of property sandwiched between Lindbergh Boulevard and Sappington Barracks Road. It will close when the new one is completed, which is expected to be by the end of this calendar year.

Officials have said the current No. 3 house is too small for modern supersized equipment and generally outdated, despite additions that have been made since its mid-20th century construction. 

"We're disappointed we'll no longer have a firehouse in Sunset Hills," Mayor Bill Nolan said last week. "But this is about as close as they can get and not be in Sunset Hills." 

Officials decided among 10 bidders Thursday for the job to build the $2.264 million fire station, choosing J.E. Foster.

The fire district asked for two add-ons of $22,000 for a bigger basement and $36,000 to upgrade the heating and cooling system.

District Fire Chief Tim White said he met with Josh Foster, the contractor selected.

"They were somebody who's concerned about the neighbors and wanted to keep everybody happy. That was a good thing," White said after the bid was announced.

Project manager Roy A. Mangan said Foster was "ready to go" and wants to finish it by Thanksgiving. On paper, Foster's estimate is 240 days.

The district purchased property at 4811 Lindbergh Blvd., for the new firehouse No. 3 is to be built. It is between a residence and St. Catherine Labouré School's  parking lot. It is across from the Lindbergh School District's new Early Childhood Education center. A brick ranch house on the lot appears abandoned.

The bid decision went public at the district headquarters on Mueller Road in a very brief noon meeting Thursday with two of three fire district board members present.

Wright Construction was the other company making it to the final cut.

A candidate for the fire district board, Mike Klund, told Sunset Hills Board of Aldermen last week that moving the fire house further out of Sunset Hills will lengthen the arrival time for medical care to residents, and is against the project. He said it would raise costs.

In a separate discussion, Mayor Nolan pointed out that a Fenton Fire Station serves Sunset Hills, and is located nearby on Rott Road, between near Lindbergh Boulevard and Laumeier Sculpture Park.