Shared gym, lounge and other upgrades coming to Fox Chapel fire station

Upgrades are coming to the Fox Chapel fire station by the borough building.

It’s part of a nearly $568,000 investment in the emergency response department along Fox Chapel Road.

Council unanimously approved a contract with FMS Construction Co. of Sharpsburg in August.

Work is expected to begin sometime in October and be completed in February.

The project includes a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, Americans with Disabilities Act compliant restrooms, training/meeting room upgrades such as new drywall and lighting, renovations to the fire administrative office and storage areas, a new lounge for volunteers to relax and a fitness gym to be shared with other borough departments.

Borough Manager Gary Koehler said the facility is more than 50 years old. He said it needed to be modernized and some amenities needed to be brought up to current codes.

He said the additional space renovations such as the lounge and gym will help the active and growing volunteer membership and “provide the volunteer firefighters with a great environment to serve the residents.”

Gym equipment still is being selected, and the lounge furnishings have yet to be finalized by the fire department, Koehler said.

The cost of the project will be paid in part through $100,000 in reserve funds, $125,000 from a bond fund and $142,900 budgeted for next year.

FMS Construction was selected out of six bidders.

Its previous work for Fox Chapel includes construction of the public works operations building and relocation of the borough building’s upper-level ADA restroom.

“Projects came in at budget with quality work,” Koehler said.

Fire Lt. Mike Pohl deferred questions to the borough manager. Other members of the fire department did not return messages seeking comment at presstime.

Councilman Brad Harrison said supporting first responders is a major priority.

“Voting to invest in our fire department is one of the most important actions I can take as a local elected official,” Harrison said. “My duty is to enable our tremendous volunteers to protect our residents and neighboring communities to the best of their ability.

“To achieve their mission of saving lives, protecting property and securing the environment from fires and other hazardous situations, our firefighters require the proper tools and training. I’m proud to have voted in support of the updated gym space as well as the storage and lounge area, as their physical and mental health are both critical to enabling success in achieving their mission and benefiting our community.”

Harrison chaired the former fire siren task force, which became a borough standing committee. He also is a member of the public safety assistance committee.

Mayor Alex Scott spoke with fire and police department personnel about the renovations and gym.

“They’re both really excited to have a fitness center there,” the mayor said. “The fire department does all sorts of training and conditioning and things for some of their members. They feel there’s a lot of value in having it right there.

“We haven’t renovated any space for the fire department in over 30 years as far as I know. … We have such a strong fire department. They are world-class. We thought that they really deserved this upgrade to their space. There was funding available for it.

“They’re very deserving, and their facilities were not very good. There’s a lot of things that needed to be done not just to have a nice space, but to have a space that’s compliant with all the rules and regulations that they have. I’m looking forward to seeing it.”