Princeton Packet
9 September, 1989

Officials to review for firehouse

By John P. McAlpin
Staff Writer

Cost estimates for the new firehouse to be built on Witherspoon Street in Princeton Township are within the $2 million budget set by local officials.

Members of the Princeton Township Committee and Borough Council will review the figures at a special joint meeting tonight, Tuesday.

“We want to give everybody as good an idea as possible as to what we are talking about here,” said Princeton Fire Chief Mark Freda.

“We said in the beginning that when we found out how much we were talking about, we would meet and let everybody know,” said Mr. Freda, who. also sits on Borough Council.

Officials plan to build a new firehouse for the Mercer Engine Company Number 3 next to the township municipal building on Witherspoon Street. The old fire-house on Chambers Street will most likely be sold, Mr. Freda said.

Construction costs are expected to run nearly $1.5 million, according to Mr. Freda.

In addition to that, fire officials expect to add another $30,000 for new equipment including a hose drier, he added.

“And then we’ve got to add onto that for architect’s fees, surveyor’s fees, soil testing and even a fee for the guy who did all the estimates,” Mr. Freda said.

Tuesday’s meeting with officials will be primarily to brief them on the final cost estimates and to update them on the progress of the project, Mr. Freda said.

“It’s just as we said in the beginning. We don’t want to pull any surprises on anybody,” he said.

The presentation is especially important to eliminate any possible questions concerning the construction estimate of $1.5 million and a total figure of $2 million, Mr. Freda noted.

The firehouse plan does not have final approval from the state’s Division of Community Affairs, the councilman explained.

The state may approve the plan but request certain design changes that could increase construction costs, Mr. Freda said.

“We want to leave a little room in those estimates to play with just in case,” he added.

Mr. Freda said that he hopes to see work start on the site within the next two months but that may not be the case.

“We’re hoping to get DCA’s approval soon so we can start by Dec. I and hope it’s a mild winter,” he said.

“But it doesn’t look too good for that,” Mr. Freda added.