COURT HOUSE –– Commissioners of Fire District No. 1 are obviously not superstitious.
The brave group held a ceremony to break ground on the new home for their firehouse on – of all days – Friday the 13th.
According to commissioners, construction on the new firehouse at the site of the former Avalon Carpet site at 117 Mechanic St. is set to begin this week with a completion date in ten months.
“We’re eager to get the project started, especially after having to jump hurdle after hurdle to get this far,” district Secretary Keith Arenberg told the Herald.
On March 30, 2006 in a special election, voters in the district approved a $1.2 million bond deal to buy property.
Since then, the district has been making plans, seeking approvals for construction and negotiating with New Jersey Transit to purchase property along the neighboring railroad line, which Arenberg said was the highest, most challenging hurdle.
“It took over a year and half but now it’s done,” he said.
At a Dec. 13 Middle Township Zoning Board meeting last year, commissioners received final site plan approval and put the project to bid shortly after the new year.
According to Arenberg, all eight initial bids came in over budget and were still over budget when re-bid.
In recent weeks, the commissioners were in negotiations with Vineland contractor Arthur Anderson Inc. After making some changes to their plans, they came to an agreement last week.
Arenberg said the changes were minor and the project’s footprint will remain the same.
“We’re still getting a beautiful facility,” he said.
According to Arenberg, the main reason for the move is that the fire company has outgrown its current home at 10 S. Boyd St.,
which the commissioners are in negotiations with the township to purchase once the new firehouse is complete.
“We want to express gratitude to the past commissioners for getting us where we are today,” Arenberg said.
He also thanked the 50 volunteers who have been patient with the long process.
“I know they’re all anxious to start working in the new firehouse,” he said.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
