Possible site is on Main St. near Township fire hall

The city of Albert Lea is exploring site options for a possible new fire hall, City Manager Chad Adams said Friday.

Adams said the city is looking to have the fire station in the East Main Street corridor, near Domino’s, Subway and the Albert Lea Township fire station — a recommended site from the city’s fire services study conducted in 2012.

Adams said he isn’t sure when a site will be secured and said the city isn’t in an immediate rush and is focused on selecting the right site.

The facility’s projected $8 million price is on the upper end of the possible cost, Adams said. He hopes the city can lower the cost, and said other fire halls in other communities have been built for less money.

The city is looking at having additional bays in the new fire station so enough space can be left for vehicles and operations within the building.

He said more space for training will be available in the new facility.

According to Adams, construction at the earliest won’t begin for another couple of years, and the city’s main focus is securing the land where the fire hall will be located before developing a final timeline for the project.

Adams said the possible 25,000-square-foot facility will include approximately 10,000 square feet for the apparatus bay, which includes fire truck space.

Other parts in the building include business areas, living and sleeping areas, apparatus bay support that would include hoses, training gear and decontamination gear, and building support, including mechanical and electrical.

The city would most likely pay for the proposed new facility either from a fire pension fund or a capital bond, Adams said.

A study was done three years ago that identified the current space for the fire hall at the lower level of City Hall as not being a feasible space for operations. New ladder trucks can’t fit into the facility.

Albert Lea Fire Department has the equivalent of 17 full-time firefighters.