In 2023, the Olathe City Council approved a $20 million budget to replace the city fire department’s headquarters, Fire Station 1. The station, built in 1983, was already described as being “at the end of its useful life.”

Construction was expected to be completed this December.

But the project never made it past the design phase. Budget constraints put the project on an indefinite hold.

Now, three years later, the station needs $2.2 million in “critical” repairs, which the city council unanimously approved on Tuesday.

Councilmember Matthew Schoonover called the fire station’s conditions “embarrassing.”

“All the praise in the world to you and your team for dealing with the conditions that you guys are having to deal with because the council hasn’t been able to appropriately budget for those fixes long term,” Schoonover said.

What needs repaired

In a presentation to the city council on Tuesday, Olathe Fire Chief Jeff DeGraffenreid described the station, located at Old 56 Highway and Harrison Street, as having significant structural problems.

As the building’s foundation settled, gaps between the floor and walls have formed. Snow comes through that separation during the winter months.

To address that, the floors will likely need to be raised and leveled.

The concrete block walls are also moving. DeGraffenreid said staff has had to take blocks out of the walls so they don’t fall on someone.

The station is in its second year of using temporary air conditioners in the hallways because of problems with the building’s HVAC system.

“ In August in Kansas, that doesn’t keep up, and it can be a little bit miserable in the station during those times,” DeGraffenreid said.

Ten firefighters work 24-hour shifts at the station, which also houses the department’s special operations group.

Budget constraints

DeGraffenreid said two studies found that Fire Station 1 was at the end of its life. The city completed the schematic design for a replacement before budget constraints punted the project.

The replacement of Fire Station 1 is also dependent on another city project moving forward.

The new station was supposed to be built at the site of the Olathe animal shelter, which is set to be rebuilt at Santa Fe Street and Ridgeview Road.

That project is also on hold while architects and city staff work to redesign the shelter with a reduced budget.

The repairs will buy time

Even if the city approved a new station immediately, DeGraffenreid said the existing building would still need repairs in order to remain open during construction.

DeGraffenreid made it clear the repairs aren’t a long-term solution.

“I don’t think it’s short-term. I don’t think it’s a year, but I also don’t think it will last very long,” he said.

Beyond structural problems, the station no longer meets the department’s operation needs. Fire trucks have grown since the building opened, crowding the vehicle bays.

Councilmember LeEtta Felter said the city council will still need to find room in a future Capital Improvement Plan for a replacement.

“The message to our community is not, ‘We’ve fixed Fire Station 1. It’s good for another 20 years,’” she said.

Mayor John Bacon pushed back against the criticism of the city’s handling of fire facilities.

“I would just remind everyone that we have invested a lot in our fire department over the last five, six years,” he said.

Bacon said the repairs are necessary but he wouldn’t classify them as “an emergency.”