Millwood:5 firehouse plans offered

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5 firehouse plans offered

PATRICK GORMAN  

THE PATENT TRADER  

(Original publication: March 31, 2005)  

The Millwood Fire District shared several conceptual plans for a new firehouse at a public meeting last week, though a downtown property owner still believes his land is the wrong place for such a facility.  

The fire district discussed five possible plans for a new firehouse, prepared by architect Bernard Lanza. Fire officials say a new firehouse is needed because the volunteer department has outgrown the Firehouse No. 1 on Route 120 that was built in 1924.  

Two of the plans focus on 87 Millwood Road as a site for a firehouse. The land is owned by Leo Rotta and is home to Millwood Supply, a building supply outlet that leases the space from Rotta. The fire district has indicated it could seek to seize the property through eminent domain, if Rotta declines to negotiate a sale price.  

"The purpose of the meeting was to let the community know what was going on, and we had a large turnout," John Kirkpatrick, the attorney representing the fire district, said. Nearly 100 residents attended.  

The two plans for the Millwood Supply site would cost $12.5 million, and feature slightly different layouts — one would have an exit directly out to Millwood Road while the other would have an exit to the side, Fitzpatrick said. The district has about $2 million in savings to put toward the project, and could have as much as $4 million if the current firehouse location is sold. The new firehouse project would require the passing of a bond resolution somewhere between $8 million and $10 million, according to officials.  

The district prefers the Millwood Supply site because it offers the most flexibility for equipment and storage, Fitzpatrick said.  

Two other plans discussed at the meeting would locate the new firehouse at a largely undeveloped 4-acre parcel across the street from Millwood Supply. Buying that land and building a firehouse there could cost more than $13 million, according to the district. The land is owned by Louis Russo, and Hudson Valley Motorcycle Sales is located at the front of the site.  

The fifth plan discussed at the meeting is to renovate the existing firehouse — an option fire commissioners do not prefer.  

"There are a number of complications in renovating," Fitzpatrick said. Fire officials have said the existing building would be too difficult to renovate and expand, in part because it closely borders a ConEdison right-of-way.  

Rotta said that taking his land for the firehouse would be a blow to the business community, since it is located in a prime commercial location downtown.  

He said the district would be better off refurbishing its existing building, or developing the parcel across the street from Millwood Supply.  

"I believe they could rework the existing firehouse for less than $1 million," Rotta said.  

The fire district said that developing the 4-acre parcel across Millwood Road from Millwood Supply could be more costly, due to environmental constraints.  

"It could be more expensive. That property is in the New York City watershed, and Millwood Supply is not," Fitzpatrick said.  

The next step for the fire district is an environmental quality review of the sites. The study would take into account all of the possible environmental impacts of the project, Fitzpatrick said.  

"The commissioners can't make a decision on the matter until they complete this process," Fitzpatrick said. The studies are expected to begin soon, he said.  

The district will be seeking more public input as the process moves forward.  

"There will be at least one more public hearing on the matter. We're hoping for input from the public, the town or whoever else is interested," Fitzpatrick said.  

[Guest JQP442]

Dont expect to see a new firehouse in Millwood anytime soon. I dont see the tax payers going to a $10+million fire hous project, no matter where it is located.