Site work and new construction of a fire / police facility in Woburn, Massachusetts. Completed plans call for the construction of a fire / police facility; and for site work for a fire / police facility.

https://homenewshere.com/daily_times_chronicle/news/woburn/article_c264ecb8-6a99-4803-91f0-8786d4a6d4e1.html WOBURN - The City Council next week will begin deliberating over Mayor Michael Concannon and the Fire Station Building Committee’s proposal to erect a new West Side firehouse by the Reeves Elementary School. Last month, the City Council officially referred to a public hearing a special permit application seeking to construct a new two-story firehouse off of Lexington Street on a portion of the Gillis Field site. That initial night of deliberations will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 16 in City Hall, when the council begins its final meeting of 2025 at 6 p.m. (note the earlier than usual start time). Earlier this fall, Concannon, joined by Ward 7 Councilor Charles Viola and Fire Chief Donald Kenton, unveiled plans to erect a three-bay firehouse in the outfield area of Gillis Field to replace the existing Station 5 building that sits by the North Suburban YMCA property by the corner of Willow Street. Under the proposal, primary access in and off of the property for heavy fire vehicles would be established through a new Lexington Street curb-cut, while rank-and-file firefighters traveling to their shifts would use the current Reeves entrance to access a small 10-to-14 space parking lot that will be constructed right below existing school parking lots. According to Concannon and project architect Donnal DiNisco, the new firehouse will be identical in design to the new Station 4 building being erected across from the Goodyear School. As such, the new Station 5, besides featuring a 35-foot tall training tower, will include a kitchen and new sleeping quarters for up to five personnel (though only three firefighters are currently assigned duty during any given 24-hour shift). Most of the 11,000 square foot structure will consist of garage space, where firefighters plan to stage an engine truck for regular use. Kenton also says a ladder truck or another large vehicle may also be staged at the site, while over the next decade or so, the force might be running an extra ambulance from the West Side. “We’re always talking about the future. We’re not going to build something that limits us,” the fire chief explained during the neighborhood meeting at Spence Farm in October. “So you could possibly see in the next five to 10 years an ambulance being stationed there and that would add two more people…The last bay would be for storage, which is desperately needed.” In late October, the city’s School Committee officially paved the way for the special permit process by voting unanimously in favor of ceding back custody of the Gillis Field parcel to the municipality after determining that land is no longer needed for educational purposes. At the time, several School Committee members, echoing concerns raised by West Side residents during the forum earlier in the month, urged local officials to invest the funding necessary to mitigate any traffic, noise, or other disruptions in the neighborhood. “People brought up concerns around traffic at pickup and drop-off times, noise, exhaust, and vulnerable [learning] populations at the school and how this will effect them,” said School Committee member Jessie Wetzel, referring to comments submitted by citizens through a school survey. Having the fire station at the Goodyear has not been a major issue and I work at a school that shares the site with a police station [without problems]. But that being said, we should make sure we get any mitigation we can,” School Committee member Andrew Lipsett later added. Citing a fire department response analysis, Concannon and other project proponents insist that a new Station 5 building needs to be situated as close as possible to the busy Four Corners intersection, which sits roughly in the middle of the West Side firehouse’s geographic coverage area. Several alternative properties, including the lacrosse field by Whispering Hill, a portion of the Shaker Glen Conservation Area behind the McDonald’s Restaurant, the old Tarky School site off Russell Street, and land by the Joyce Middle School were considered by DiNisco and members of the Fire Station Building Committee before Gillis Field was designated as the preferred location for the project. Though the City Council has already appropriated around $15 million in funding for the new building, it will need to grant a special permit to allow for the new municipal use. Notably, nearly a year ago now, the City Council rejected a proposal by Concannon to alter the city’s zoning code to eliminate the council’s special permitting process over new municipal developments. At the time, the mayor openly admitted he was seeking to streamline the permitting process as he and other city leaders pursued a new City Hall expansion project and the construction of the new Station 4 and Station 5 firehouses. “I do understand that more projects are coming in and it may be convenient to change [the zoning rules] to get those projects through. But in my view, we shouldn’t take the easy route,” said senior City Council member Joanne Campbell after catching her first glimpse of the proposed zoning change last December. Notably, next Tuesday will be Campbell’s last as Ward 1 councilor, as she did not seek re-election to the council in the fall. Her successor, Ward 1-elect Yano Amara, has attended every council meeting since he was selected by his neighbors to replace Campbell last month. The Conservation Commission will also weigh in on the project due to the site’s proximity to wetlands areas, while the Mass. Department of Transportation needs to sanction the fire station’s proposed driveway off of Lexington Street. _____________________________________ New Fire Station 4; Prequalified Filed Sub-bidders Only. Category: Fire Protection. This is a Re-bid for Prequalified Vendors Only. Contractor Qualification DCAMM Certificate Required for DCAMM contracts over $150,000, Highway Division contracts over $50,000.