FAQ

All four stations have outgrown their useful life. They do not meet the current standards and codes of modern-day stations.

Current Photos

Fire HQ – Built in 1977

Station 81 – Built 1953

Station 82 – Built 1977, Annexed from Franklin Township, renovated in 1997 as it was a volunteer fire station without living quarters or a working kitchen

Station 85 – Built 1965

Fire Suppression: do not meet Ohio Building Code (OBC) for fire suppression. None of the stations are sprinklered.

Egress: Sleeping areas are not fire suppressed and windows do not minimum size requirements for egress.

ADA: do not meet accessibility requirements.

Structural: do meet requirements for an essential facility.

Mechanical: do meet requirements for make-up air.

The idea to build four new fire stations at the same time is to take advantage of the historically low interest rates, the same route the City was able to do with the paving levy project. In total, the four new stations will cost $16.6 million.

The full cost of designing, furnishing, and constructing the four (4) new facilities is estimated at $16,667,500 all-in. This is calculated as 56,500 combined square feet at a cumulative $295/square-foot cost.

That total further breaks down as:

• Station #81; 10,200 sq. ft. (2-bay): $3,009,000
• Station #85; 10,200 sq. ft. (2-bay): $3,009,000
• Station #82; 11,800 sq. ft. (3-bay): $3,481,000
• HQ: 24,300 sq. ft. (5-bay): $7,168,500

TOTAL: 56,500 sq. ft. $16,667,500

Additional estimated development costs make the total construction costs $16.8 million.

Determining the location to build a fire station involves several factors. Some of those factors include: travel times, roadway accessibility, first-due area impact, neighborhood type, and land availability.

This configuration does not resolve the problem of the Effective Response Force response times being longer than target goals, additional personnel to keep engine companies staffed would keep companies available except in the most extreme response scenarios.

Location studies

Response time map

Fire Headquarters/Station 83: Relocated from Roosevelt Boulevard to Yankee Road and Cherry Street, former Garfield School site.

Station 81: Relocated from North Clinton Street to Charles Street and Henry Avenue, former Jefferson School site.

Station 82: Moved from Dixie Highway to Atrium Boulevard and Ohio 122.

Station 85: Moved from Central Avenue to Sophie Street and Stolz Drive, an undeveloped portion of Dowling Park.

Chief Paul Lolli and Asst. Chief Tom Snively presented to city council at the January 2021 strategic planning session about the need for four new first station.
https://youtu.be/6MWHzxvcxYI

The July 6 city council meeting can be viewed here:
https://youtu.be/ZwHONWNfSW8

Chief Lolli and City Manager Jim Palenick discussed the issue on an Updates with the City Manager video on July 8, 2021 
https://youtu.be/RE_sTAqhOG0

A video was produced to share this information
https://youtu.be/FBtRu2jGhvw

A first reading for Resolution No. R2021-29 was brought to city council on July 6, 2021. A second reading was brought to city council on July 20, 2021.

Resolution No. R2021-29, a resolution declaring the City Council of the City of Middletown, Ohio’s intent to proceed with placing a 1-mill property tax levy on the May 2022 election ballot for the purposes of providing funding for the construction of certain fire station improvements for use by the City of Middletown Division of Fire. Click Here for More

If the levy is approved, the stations will be built and moved into by 2024.

The City intends on being in a position to enter into a contract for station design work immediately following the election, dependent on voter approval.

The City’s intent would be to sell the existing sites for development.

Because the 1-mil property tax levy being extended, was first approved for five years, and then later extended for an additional five years for the Senior Citizens debt service on “May local election ballots”. This continues that tradition. Also, in order to fully complete all the necessary due diligence and preparation needed to identify, propose, and confirm the station locations and design considerations, as well as the financing preparation, we simply couldn’t meet the deadlines to place the question on the November, 2021 local election ballot.

Each large-scale reinvestment in buildings or other community assets or infrastructure which the City needs to undertake requires different approaches as to identifying and pursuing financing with the least burden possible to City residents and tax-payers. With the Jail, we are currently pursuing many different paths for possible outside grant funding and/or the creation of supportive revenue streams in order to supplement what will likely be a significant project cost.

To be competitive in the region, a welcoming, safe and healthy work environment is extremely important. The current stations were also not built with inclusivity in mind – making the ability to accommodate female firefighters difficult. Facilities is one of several factors that will make Middletown more competitive and assist with recruitment and retention of our first responders.

Shall bonds be issued by the City of Middletown for the purpose of constructing fire facilities; furnishing and equipping the same; improving the sites thereof; and acquiring interests in land as necessary in connection therewith in the principal amount of $16,800,000, to be repaid annually over a maximum period of 30 years, and an annual levy of property taxes be made outside the ten-mill limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the repayment period of the bond issue one (1.00) mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, which amounts to $0.10 for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation, commencing in 2022, first due in calendar year 2023, to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds, and to pay debt charges on any notes issued in anticipation of those bonds.