Staff selects architecture consultant and gathers stakeholders for Fire Station 22 reuse study

Palm Coast — City staff told the City Council on July 1 that Forefront Architecture was selected through an RFSQ process to compile a program and plan for the adaptive reuse of Fire Station 22, and that staff has solicited input from a range of stakeholders about how the preserved building might be used.

Staff said the consultant selection prioritized firms with historic-preservation experience. The consultant and staff convened individual stakeholder meetings to gather needs and preferences for the building's program — for example, exhibit space, storage, meeting rooms and offices — and will compile those needs into a program that will be presented to the council for direction prior to design work.

City Manager and council members emphasized a continuing aspiration for the Palm Coast Historical Society to be a primary occupant of the building. "The main focus was truly, let's create more parking for the community center," Councilmember Pontieri said; the council agreed the historical society should play a large role but stopped short of prescribing exclusive occupancy.

Carl (city staff) explained the process: selection through a qualifications-based RFSQ; stakeholder interviews (individual meetings were used because scheduling a single joint meeting was difficult); and forthcoming program recommendations. Staff said all stakeholder input will be compiled, and the consultant will propose next steps and a recommended floor plan and scope for design.

Staff reported the target timeline is to bring a progress update to a City workshop in August and a full presentation thereafter. Councilmembers asked for a midpoint update ahead of that report.

Dependencies and next steps: staff said stakeholder input will shape the program and that the project will return to council for direction prior to design. The city previously discussed parking improvements and preserving the building; a decision to preserve the structure had been made earlier and parking work has already been scoped.

No formal council vote occurred on July 1. Staff will report back with compiled stakeholder findings and anticipated costs before advancing to design.