Despite the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 Pandemic, real progress is being made on the construction of a new $3.2 million, 10,000-square-foot Town of Batavia Fire Department substation on Stringham Drive.
Building Committee Chair Gary Diegelman said the project is “50 percent done” and, if all goes well, should be completed by the end of the summer or early fall.
Diegelman provided an update this morning on the heels of the Batavia Town Board’s approval of a modification to the department’s borrowing plan at last night’s videoconference board meeting.
The Town Board authorized a change in wording to reflect that the fire department will be looking to borrow up to a maximum principal amount of $2 million, rescinding a previous resolution that fixed the amount at $2 million.
“We requested a change after looking at our finances and deciding we didn’t need that much,” said Diegelman, advising that the department has secured a $1.6 million, eight-year mortgage from M&T Bank. “And with our tax-exempt status, we were able to get a lower interest rate.”
Diegelman said that the main structure is done and the pouring of concrete is scheduled for next week.
“They’re mostly working on interior stuff now,” he said.
Thompson Builds of Churchville is the general contractor.
It has been two years since Diegelman presided over an open house at the Batavia Town Hall. The new substation, which replaces the current Station 2 located on the north side of Clinton Street Road at the corner of Stringham Drive, will feature two drive-thru bays and entrances from both roads.
The project also includes four dormitory rooms, a 25-car parking lot in the back and a five-car lot in front, a main entrance electronic message sign and a decontamination room to keep firefighters’ gear separate from the rest of the building.
Diegelman said the coronavirus situation hasn’t hampered construction that much and was quick to add that work continues due to the fact that the emergency services project has been deemed "essential.”
In another development, Batavia Town Supervisor Greg Post said the Town is “running at 95-percent efficiency, even with everybody working at home and remotely.”
Post said four public work ventures are ongoing – water main projects and a couple of sanitary sewer upgrades, both at the Ag Park and King’s Plaza -- and he expects that number to increase to seven or eight in another month or so.
“The highway department is working on touching up the last parts of Ellicott Trail as well as maintaining roadside culvert pipes and doing all the prep work necessary prior to full summer paving operations,” he said, adding that employees continue to maintain separation and keeping safe distances from one another per New York State coronavirus mandates.
Building Inspector Daniel Lang reported that his department is fielding “quite a few” building permit requests, conducting solar farm plan reviews and assisting the town assessor with “end of the year” items.
Photo of Town of Batavia Fire Department substation on Stringham Drive taken this morning by Mike Pettinella.
