The Daily Times

The city of Alcoa is once again considering relocating Fire Station No. 2 on Joule Street to the former Alcoa Municipal Building property.

The city began planning to relocate the station in 2004, but the recession forced officials to delay major repairs and maintenance to the facility, Alcoa City Manager Mark Johnson told city commissioners and school board members at a work session Friday afternoon.

“We didn’t want to put money into a building that was not of any use to us any more,” he said.

Built in 1972, the Joule Street station across from East Tennessee Medical Group has systemic problems, he said.

“Repair or renovation needs are at a critical stage. The roof is leaking and it would be expensive to replace,” he said.

There have also been problems with dampness from the ground causing mold problems inside the facility.

“Now is the time to move,” he said.

The original plan was to erect a station on city property across Bessemer Street from the old Alcoa Municipal Building.

A new idea

Alcoa Fire Chief Roger Robinson came up with a new idea. He suggested looking at the old municipal garage behind the former municipal building and see what potential there was to convert it into a fire station.

The building was initially erected by ALCOA Inc. and is structurally sound, Johnson said. The total space, including a partial two-story area, is 18,000 square feet.

The current Alcoa Fire Department administrative offices are located in the Public Safety Building on North Wright Road, along with Alcoa Police Department. The police need more space, and there is the possibility that the fire offices could move to the old garage. The Fire Station would remain at the Public Safety Building.

Double the size

The old garage is double the size of the new station the city had planned to build, said engineer Chris Soro of C2rl, an engineering company located catty-corner across Bessemer Street from the old garage.

Johnson said the renovation could be potentially less expensive than a new structure and it would preserve one of the historic buildings in the city.

Johnson said at the Feb. 14 Alcoa City Commission meeting he plans to recommend that Soro do a feasibility study on converting the garage to a fire hall.

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