MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Plans for the new fire station in Meridian Township are moving forward after a unanimous vote by the Township Board awarding Weiland-Davco Corporation nearly $300,000 for professional construction management services. The new station, which will be built at the corner of Okemos Road and Central Park Drive, will replace the Central Fire Station, which closed earlier this year.

“We have now hired a contractor to oversee the building of the fire station, we believe that will be best interest in construction. It will be the best fit and finish, quality and the lowest price,” Fire Chief Fred Cowper said.

Because previous bids were all over budget, Weiland-Davco along with the Township Manager, Fire Chief and DLZ Architects will meet weekly to make sure the station gets the best bang for the Township's buck.

“We will go through everything we can possibly think of to make sure the station is built under budget, and that the station gives us everything we need to serve our residents,” Cowper said.

The new plans for the new station will include amenities such as separate bathroom and showers for both male and female workers, a community room for training purposes, multiple offices, a generator, and an indoor fire sprinkler system.

In December the team will take what they have and present it to the Township Board for a final examination. And from there, Vice President of Weiland-Davco Kevin Shaw said, they will begin a new process.

“We will send out invitations to bid to probably two hundred sub contractors and will be not just in mid Michigan, but it will also go to maybe Oakland County and to the west side to Grand Rapids,” Shaw said. “And were looking for a lot of activity for bidding so when we get those bids in we sit down with the customer and we analyze them.”

The plan is to break ground in late March of 2015 and have the new station up and running by the following December.