Nov. 10--Stroudsburg Borough officials have approved a $2 million loan to upgrade the borough building.
The main scope of the work will make the firehouse portion of the building ready for the borough's new 100-foot tractor-drawn Aerial Arrow XT firetruck.
The $1 million, 76,000-pound truck arrived during the summer but has been housed at a specially constructed pole building because the firehouse is unable to accommodate the new truck's weight. The garage of the 80-year-old firehouse on Sarah Street sits atop a basement.
The last time the garage floor was bolstered was in the early '90s, but it still isn't strong enough to support the weight of the new truck, which is about twice the weight of the 31-year-old fire engine it replaced.
From the start, firefighters knew the current firehouse would likely be unable to accommodate the new rig, Stroudsburg Fire Chief Michael Seip said in an interview earlier this year.
Just like cars have continued to grow in size over the years, so have firetrucks due to new safety requirements.
For instance, all firetrucks today have black boxes like those on airplanes, as well as heftier federally compliant exhaust systems.
Once the firehouse is able to accommodate the truck, the pole building, located behind Stroud TV & Appliance on North Ninth Street, will be converted into space for the borough's Department of Public Works, said Borough Manager Cathie Thomas.
"The borough building was last renovated in 1982, which I believe included the entire building -- fire hall and borough offices," Thomas said. "The current plan is for the work to start sometime this winter. The project is expected to take at least eight months for the renovations."
The building also contains the borough's municipal offices, on the second floor.
Proposed work to the basement includes: reinforcing steel supporting the garage floor above the basement, installing a new suspended ceiling, kitchen equipment, sprinkler system and upgrading the HVAC system.
On the first floor: removing some of the existing walls to accommodate the new firetruck, upgrading toilet fixtures, installing a sprinkler system and renovating the area near the garage doors.
The head of the garage doors has to be raised in order to accommodate the new firetruck, according to Schoonover & Vanderhoof Architects in East Stroudsburg.
Work for the second floor where the municipal offices are includes: installing a new suspended ceiling, new tile flooring, new carpet, painting, upgrading toilet fixtures, installing a sprinkler system, upgrading the HVAC and electrical system.
Other proposed work in the project includes installing a new membrane roof with additional insulation, new windows, cleaning the brick and decorative concrete surfaces, water repellent treatment for the brick and decorative concrete surfaces and a new emergency electric generator.
The architect recommended the township budget between $1.8 million and $2 million for the project, noting that estimate does not include items such as furniture, fixtures, equipment and professional fees.
Depending on the bids, borough officials could decide to forgo certain parts of the project, Thomas said. The most important scope of the work will be making the firehouse ready for the new truck.
According to the pay schedule the borough approved, with interest factored in, the total cost of the project would come to $2.6 million.
Copyright 2013 - Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, Pa.
