Contractors are wrapping up work on the new Fire Station No. 1 in downtown Hollister, and the city expects local fire crews to take calls there as early as April 28, according to the city’s planning chief.
Construction has been active at the new station, on Fifth and Sally streets, for slightly more than a year.
The nearly $4.7 million demolition and reconstruction of the downtown Hollister Fire Station began in late March 2011. Paid through funds from the now-defunct Hollister Redevelopment Agency, the new station will be a two-story, 12,000-square-foot facility and is about double the space of its predecessor. The city’s contract with Barry Swenson called for the work to be done within 365 days at a cost of just more than $4.2 million with a $427,000 contingency fund.
Hollister planning official William Avera on Monday said the site remains in the contractor’s hands, but will be turned over soon.
“The goal is to hopefully have calls run out of there at the end of the month,” Avera said.
In the meantime, Hollister’s fire department has been operating out of station No. 2 on Union Road, as well as a temporary unit downtown near the Briggs Building parking garage.
Avera said the city hopes the three firefighters stationed at the temporary site will move the last weekend of the month, with the chief and his administrative assistant moving in later.
Look back for more in the Pinnacle on Friday, including photos from the inside of the new fire house.
