Dallas Rescinds Contract to Rebuild Fire Station No. 41
Construction work planned to be done on Fire Station No. 41 is at a halt following the inability of Post L Group, the city’s contractor, to complete the project without cost elevation.
The station, once located at 5920 Royal Lane, was demolished in the October 2019 tornado. Dallas City Council approved the construction of a replacement facility for about $4.5 million on Nov. 10, 2021, but the city manager is rescinding the contract due to price increases that the city cannot meet.
This update was presented to City Council members during their June 22 meeting. Council member Gay Donnell Willis, who represents district 13 where the station was located, said she has been vigilant in asking questions, but she’s learned that there are obstacles considering construction policies are different from the ‘50s and the new facility will be a redesign from the original.
“I just want everyone to be aware that the effects of COVID are real with regard to labor shortages, with getting this designed, with procuring the materials that are needed, with waiting on these materials in the delay,” Willis said. “No one is more disappointed than me because I’ve got lots of concerned people. However, I’m supporting this because I want to get this moving as fast as we can.”
Council member Cara Mendelsohn asked City Manager T.C. Broadnax if he thinks this additional delay is a result of inefficiency on the city’s end. To that, Broadnax and Adriana Castaneda from the Office of Bond & Construction Management responded saying it’s not a result of efficiency or inefficiency, but COVID-19 caused timeline delays that are not foreseeable in the future.
The city is continuing the search for a contractor to take on this project by re-advertising and seeking the best-value proposer.
