City officials are preparing to accept proposals to sell and redevelop the former Second Street fire station in downtown Hallowell, above. Councilors will discuss the future of the building on Tuesday, which has been uncertain for years. File Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

HALLOWELL — City officials could soon accept proposals to sell and renovate the former Second Street fire station, leading to a potential decision as soon as April.

The future of the old fire station has been uncertain for years. Those responsible did attempts to keep the building under city ownershipand the residents of Hallowell largely supported a non-binding referendum to renovate the building.

An initial discussion of what city officials hope to see included in the proposals is scheduled for Tuesday’s city council meeting. City Manager Gary Lamb, Ward 2 Councilor and Properties Committee Chair Michael Frett and Mayor George Lapointe revised the request for proposals, or RFP, which was based on the city’s last attempt at secure proposals for the sale and renovation of the building in 2020.

In this latest round of proposals, only one offer was sent: $10,500, from Eric Perry, owner of EJ Perry Construction Co. Inc., and his wife, Pamela. The city had appraised the building at $300,000 a year earlier, but Perry’s estimate of the cost of renovating the building lowered his purchase price.

The city council voted again in favor of a call for proposals in July, when Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Wynne advocated adding $250,000 to this year’s budget for the sale of the building.

Any money earned from the sale will go directly into a capital improvement spending line item in this year’s budget, according to Wynne’s proposal, helping to shore up revenue in a tight budget year.

The RFP asks potential developers to preserve the building’s exterior in accordance with state historic building standards, and says the city would prefer proposals from developers who have previously worked on historic preservation projects. The request also includes a preference for preserving the basement as the location of the Hallowell Food Bank and adding a museum on the upper floors, which would showcase the building’s 200-year history and memorabilia from the era where firefighters were present in the building, from 1900 to 2018.

Regardless, Lamb said, the building will require significant interior work before it can be used by the general public.

“If the building is going to be reused, it needs to be gutted down to the studs,” he said. “You need all new windows, all new electrical, plumbing and everything.”

That work, Lapointe said at a July city council meeting, could cost up to $5 million — an amount the city can’t afford, he said, especially in the middle of a crisis. busy budget year.

Given the high cost of the renovation, Lapointe said financial stability will be an important factor for city council to consider when making proposals for the building. He said Tuesday’s discussion is a starting point for public participation in the building’s future. No final decision will be made for several months, and the schedule calls for a final vote on potential proposals set for April 2025.

“People love the old fire station and some think it should be preserved at all costs,” said Mr. Lapointe. “And that’s when I say we need to socialize the problem – we need to talk about it. »

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