“We are wanting to bring everything under the same roof,” Dodd said.
Bellbrook hired App Architecture, based in Englewood, to draw up some potential plans for an expanded facility that would meet the city’s current needs. App Architecture, in a design study dated May 1, estimates the cost of renovating the facility plus adding onto the facility will be about $1.7 million.
The study estimates that the total construction costs would be $2.09 million.
Dodd presented the design and other plans to city council in October. City council will have an in-depth discussion about the plans later this month. If council approves this project, the downtown fire offices would be closed.
The consolidation would free up space in downtown Bellbrook to be redeveloped, Dodd said. Bellbrook is making an effort to revitalize downtown, Dodd said, and this consolidation could be a art of it. The city plans to earmark funds in the 2021 budget to make downtown Bellbrook more walkable with things like adding crosswalks.
Dodd said city council will consider the plans for the expanded fire station at a work session on Nov. 23. Dodd said conversations about combining the fire stations have gone hand-in-hand with discussions about creating a Community Improvement Corporation.
On Nov. 23, council will also consider creating a Bellbrook Community Improvement Corporation (CIC). Dodd said if council wants to create a CIC, combining the two fire stations would be the corporation’s first project.
City council likely won’t vote on the combined fire station plan or CIC until after November.
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