LR moving to build police, fire facilities

Work on 1st project planned for July

Little Rock leaders are working to start police and fire projects that will be financed with a voter-approved increase in the city’s sales tax.

Four projects, including a new fire station in southwest Little Rock, new police substations on 12th Street and in the northwest portion of the city, and an overhaul of the Little Rock Police Department headquarters on Markham Street, are to receive funding from the tax increase that passed in 2011. Difficulties in finding the right locations have pushed back estimated completion dates for some of the projects, but the city plans to break ground on at least one as soon as next month, it said last week.

The Little Rock Board of Directors approved setting aside $7.7 million for the projects. Some of that money will be used for equipment at the new and upgraded stations. About $459,000 of the money was set aside for the eventual purchase of land for the southwest Little Rock fire station.

Construction on one of those projects, the 12th Street police substation, will start later than city leaders initially planned.

City leaders had planned to begin construction on the substation in April. City Attorney Tom Carpenter said contractual issues and negotiations for landscaping set that date back to sometime in July.

Sgt. Cassandra Davis, the Little Rock police spokesman, said the July groundbreaking date was not a “real delay” and that the project was on schedule.

But Ward 2 Director Ken Richardson, who has organized and helped plan the 12th Street corridor revitalization that includes the substation, said the rescheduling was wearing on his patience.

“I’m extremely frustrated that we haven’t finalized a contract and a day for a groundbreaking, ” Richardson said. “It’s not my function as a city director to insert myself into contract negotiations, but I will insert myself into the conversation if this goes on any longer. This is a critical anchor for our efforts and deals not only with the reality of public safety in this neighborhood but the perception of the overall safety of the community.”

The Board of Directors is to vote at its June 18 meeting on a resolution that would amend the contract with the construction manager and move the project forward.

Carpenter said the delays were not based on the planned uses for the building. The community asked that the station include space for businesses such as a credit union or bank, a post office and small businesses that would benefit the community as it redevelops.

Because the project will be financed through accumulated sales tax and not through public bonds funded through the millage extension that was passed by voters in September, there are fewer restrictions on the private uses that would be allowed for the building. Tax-exempt bonds would not allow for private uses, private profit or competition with other local privately owned or leased businesses.

HEADQUARTERS AND

NORTHWEST SUBSTATION

The city also is finalizing plans to revamp the Police Department’s headquarters at 700 W. Markham St., but until the 12th Street substation is finished, that project has been put on a back burner.

Personnel at the headquarters need a place to move during construction, when workers will demolish the building and construct a new one. The 60-year-old building has some leaks and structural problems that require portions of it to be replaced rather than repaired, Police Chief Stuart Thomas has said.

The Police Department and the city are still looking for a home for a proposed northwest police substation after they abandoned plans to use an unfinished community center in the Pankey neighborhood late last year.

The city had negotiated with the Pankey Community Improvement Associationto pay $1 million to finish construction of the Pankey Community Center at 13700 Cantrell Road. The city planned to rent out a small part of the facility and build a fueling station for the northwest patrol division.

The center has sat empty for more than a decade. The association halted construction in 2002 after running out of money. The state Legislative Audit Divsion found that the group might have violated bidding and procurement laws by bidding out the project at a price that was more than the amount a state grant would provide, and by not having the funds in its bank account to cover the remainder of the cost.

The city rejected the lease plans after questions from several city directors and Police Department members about the terms, which stated the city would pay taxes, utilities and maintenance costs for the entire building. Leaders also wondered whether cheaper property was available, whether the shared use was compatible and whether the station was far enough west for the property-crime trends that prompted the city’s plan for the new patrol division home.

SOUTHWEST FIRE STATION

The city also is searching for a site for a fire station in southwest Little Rock after it was unsuccessful in negotiating a price for a parcel off Stage Coach Road.

“The department has another property they’ve targeted in on, and hopefully we’ll have something to present to the board soon,”Assistant City Manager Bryan Day said.

Representatives of southwest Little Rock have been clamoring for the station almost since the area was annexed by the city.

The Little Rock Fire Department opened its Station 23 on Rahling Road in December. Fire Chief Greg Summers said the city would need to build five stations to keep or lower its Insurance Service Organization rating.

Insurance ratings are determined partly based on how long a fire department would take to respond to a fire, the number of volunteer and fulltime staff members at the stations and the proximity of fire stations to any residence in the city.

The ratings range from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best. Little Rock is rated a 2. Lower ratings mean residents pay lower insurance rates.

City leaders expect the southwest fire station to cost between $3 million and $5 million, depending on how much site work is required.

Arkansas, Pages 15 on 06/09/2013

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