Redstone chosen to redesign police, fire stations

By Lisa Brody

Six architectural firms submitted request for proposals (RFPs) for redesigns of the Bloomfield Township police station and fire station number three, and chiefs James Gallagher and John LeRoy informed trustees at their meeting on Monday, September 11, that Redstone, a Bloomfield Township firm which is a specialist in municipal, law enforcement, justice and public safety architecture, was their choice to move forward.

Gallagher, the township's police chief, said they had first come before the board and spoken about the needs of each of their departments. “We've both outgrown our spaces. We've outgrown our dispatch center. There are limits on technology...our locker rooms are more than 30 years old, there are no more lockers for women officers; we're at capacity. We have one shower and one bathroom stall for 10 women. However, a remodeling will affect the rest of the department.”

The police station shares a building with Township Hall.

Fire Chief LeRoy said fire station number three was built in 1960, with an apparatus bay added in 1978 – 45 years ago. “The building does not meet current safety and design standards. It needs to be retrofitted for female firefighters. We cannot fit aerial apparatus. There just is not enough space. We are out of storage space.”

Gallagher said an RFP was posted to the MITN website on June 12, with a deadline of June 27. They received six proposals, although he said three firms did not submit complete proposals. He said proposals were evaluated based on qualifications and experience of the firm; qualifications and experience of key personnel; past experience and references, including with municipal work; and project approach and understanding, including a cost proposal.

Bid proposal prices ranged from $10,000 to $123,991.

“We recommend using Redstone Architects, located in Bloomfield Township, a Michigan firm,” Gallagher said. “They were very responsive. They've been around since 1937, and are highly experienced with municipal projects.”

In their proposal, Redstone noted a first priority would be to develop a special needs assessment (SNA) to identify each department's current and future needs. They also noted that any substantial renovation, which they defined as 50 percent or more, requires bringing an existing building up to code.

Redstone's bid was for $91,665. An additional $10,000 was estimated for costs to designs if necessary for the township's offices, $10,000 to $15,000 for site evaluation for a possible new police building or partial relocation of some township offices if the existing building is not able to accommodate the new redesigned spaces. They also estimated $25,000 for structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing designs.

“I'm not surprised you chose Redstone because they are so experienced with municipal buildings. They are just outstanding,” said trustee Neal Barnett.

Supervisor Dani Walsh noted the current state of police and fire facilities are affecting recruiting. “It's not just frills, it's the safety,” she said. “The men and women who work here deserve better.”

Trustees unanimously approved the $91,665 bid from Redstone, along with the extra $10,000 if needed to design for township offices, as well as the $10,000 to $15,000 for site evaluation for a possible new police building or partial relocation.