Construction Begins at Fire Station #8
Finally, after many months of detailed planning and design work, construction has begun on the new Fire Station #8. The city’s groundbreaking ceremony officially took place on April 15, which featured representatives from the St. Joseph Fire Department, Public Works & Transportation Department, Herner Construction, Missouri Western State University and several city officials. Prior to the event, roughly three weeks of initial prep work had laid the backdrop for the event and set the pace for the following weeks of heavy lifting and earth movement to reshape the land in preparation of the new facility.
Currently, Herner Construction is performing earthwork to balance the site soils which includes a large detention basin being dug along the southern side of the property. This detention basin along with the other suitable soils on site has supplied a large quantity of materials needed to raise the elevation of the project site and provide level access for emergency vehicles at the entrance on Mitchell Avenue.
Following completion of the earthwork, a swarm of activity will begin. This work will include footing and foundation concrete, site utilities including a large water main being bored under Mitchell, and a long run of sanitary sewer along with the internal underground structure utilities. The next step will be structural framing, stud infill and truss erection.
Before you know it, the facility will begin to emerge from the soil and the next phase of construction will begin to take shape. The construction of the new fire station, which will include a new emergency operations center in the basement, is on pace to be completed in March 2022 and the fire department is excited to take ownership as soon as possible.
