Fate of MI Fire Station Undecided

HOLLAND TWP. — Construction is underway on a public safety building on James Street, and the Holland Township Board of trustees must decide what will happen with Fire Station No. 2.

The foundations are in, and walls are currently being constructed on the new building, which is still on schedule to be completed by the end of 2019, said Holland Township Manager Steve Bulthuis. The Township board approved $10 million to be budgeted for the project in July 2018 as part of the township's six-year Capital Improvement Plan.

Three people in the past week asked Bulthuis what is happening with the current facility, Fire Station No. 2, in the last week, Bulthuis said on March 21. The township board has not had a lot of conversation about it yet, he said.

First, the township board should decide if they want to keep the land as part of the township, or come to the conclusion that it is a surplus and sell it. There are still months to go before the new facility is finished, and the staff moves operations from Fire Station No. 2, he said, but deciding the future of the property also affects budgeting for facilities at the building.

Holland has three fire stations, so the facility on James Street will become Fire Station No. 2's new home, as well as some Ottawa County sheriff's officers and deputies assigned to the township.

The township is anticipating 40 years of use from the new joint-use facility, located on James Street between 120th Street and US-31. It is being designed to allow for growth in-line with the township's anticipated population growth.

Right now, the township operates as an on-call fire department, Bulthuis said, but the building has more space and capabilities of operating staff around the clock in the future.

"It's going to be a great enhancement, and we feel that the building is really going to be reflective of the institutions that are housed in it," Bulthuis said.

"Our first responders are very important, they provide vital services to our community, and we think this facility will be a reflection of the important work that they do for us."

The current facility is still structurally sound, but has become "functionally obsolete," the township manager said.

The James Street building will have a public service window to better serve residents. Bulthuis described it as having "all the necessary spaces for modern firefighters," with a larger facility including dorm rooms, full locker rooms and a detoxification area.

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