The bidding process for construction work on the storm-damaged 29th Street firehouse begins next week.
Ocean City will begin advertising for bids on July 22, and City Council could possibly award a contract at its meeting Aug. 27, according to the city Purchasing Department.
The fire station, formally known as Ocean City Fire Department Station 2, suffered major damage during Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, when some parts of the one-story building took on more than two feet of water.
Although the building at 29th Street and West Avenue still houses some equipment and apparatus, firefighters have been living in temporary trailers nearby since Sandy.
Last month, architect William McLees of Somers Point made a courtesy presentation of the proposed plans to the city Planning Board.
The plans call for repairs to the existing structure, along with the addition of a second story. The total building space in the new structure will be about 5,427 square feet.
The first floor will consist of a 593-square-foot equipment bay, a 1,769-square-foot apparatus bay, a storage area and an exercise room.
The new second floor will house: a living room/kitchen area; two bunk areas totaling about 290 square feet; office space; restrooms and a locker area; about 120 feet of storage space; and an entry area of about 205 square feet.
The fire station sits in a residential area, so covering the building’s existing masonry exterior with clapboard siding and a brick veneer will help it blend better in the neighborhood, according to the plans.
In July 2014, City Council awarded an $80,200 contract to Czar Engineering of Egg Harbor Township to design the new firehouse.
Following Superstorm Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) declared the fire station wasn’t a total loss, and agreed to pay 90 percent of the cost to repair the building, which it estimated at $443,000.
Additionally, the city received $44,00 from its flood-insurance carrier for the damaged building.
