Generic Space Needs
When the town first began to consider the specifications for a relocated fire/ambulance station, representatives of the Blue Hill Fire Department, Peninsula Ambulance Corps and the Select Board met with the engineers to assess the space requirements for a modern Public Safety facility.
That work resulted in an assessment that the combined facility would require almost 17,000 sq. ft. of indoor space, of which 11,500 would be required for a standalone fire station and an additional 5,500 sq. ft. would be required if the Ambulance Corps was also housed at the facility.
Estimated Costs
Generic “Greenfield” Site
Based on recent Maine projects managed by these firms and the space needs identified above, the all-in build costs were estimated to be $550 per interior square foot, or approximately $9.2 million, not including any land value.
Estimated Costs for the Proposed Facility
The engineers have provided the Town with the following estimates of project cost:
* Attributing $75,000value to the simultaneously acquired school land and no value to the potential sale of excess land on the parcel.
The cost to construct the Public Safety facility at the Tenney Hill property is estimated to be $2.5-3.0 million less than a comparable greenfield facility.
Financing
Initial Purchase
The Town funded the purchase of the Public Safety Building building/site with a combination of cash on hand and the proceeds of a $1.2 million five-year loan, with principal due at maturity.
The rationale behind the loan tenor is that this will provide the Town with sufficient time to:
- design and make the necessary improvements to the property,
- solicit grant funding to reduce the Town’s contribution to the overall cost, and
- negotiate a multi-year lease agreement with Peninsula Ambulance Corps, reflecting the value of its use of the facility.
Grant Opportunities
The town is seeking congressional support for $3.4 million in grant funding, representing approximately 50% of the overall project cost. While there may be other grant opportunities to support facilities for the Fire Department and the Ambulance Corps, the town understands that these are likely to be small in size (less than $100,000), which would not offset a substantial portion of the overall cost.
Long-term Financing
After the project is complete, the Town anticipates obtaining long-term (such as 20-year) financing through the Maine Municipal Bond Bank to refinance the initial loan and any construction loans obtained to finance the build.
The town will seek voter authorization for the additional $1,542,500 of general obligation debt and use of $50,000 of unassigned funds at its 2026 Annual Town Meeting in April.