Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - New Eagan Fire Administration Building 3795 Pilot Knob Road - Administrationw EaganNe Fire
ablaze with activity
is
building
BY SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD to be open by the end of the adeq ache' said increased in
Jensen. "And
month. w
en
we st
The new Eagan Fire Admini- Fire Chief Craig Jensen said each volume,other sart`dayetti g in
stration building e
is ablaze with the new administration build-
pretty
activity as construction crews ing has been an ongoing proj- quickl y."
finish up last-minute details ect for the last three years. Fire e
e s agan boasts
ovoluntes sfoee departments
and dpartment staff haul} in Administration staff was fo
office equipment and personal merly housed in the old�C he Bloomington. The in the state — ond -only to
department
belongings, Hall building, which is no
has 97 volunteers,
The building, located across site of the new administration currently additional volunteers
g 12
' � al Cen- buildin with
from the city's Municipal g
Y
ter building on Wescott and "We had office space before, See Fire, p.lOA)
Pilot Knob roads, is expected but the training space was not _
Mayor............. Fire................
(Continued) (Continued from front page)
city's fast-growth era, which expected to be trained in at the � a �g
was more prone o political next session. Ambulance staff
unrest, Shover said. Voters is contracted through Health-
-
could unseat the mayor more East Transportation.
often. Construction on the new
"You're right," Moran said. building began last April, be-
"When we were growing fast, ginning with the demolition of
then things did happen. ... Now, the former City Hall — the '
I think we're looking at conti- old, white City Hall is across
nuity.
the street from the administra- b
tion building. Jensen said he is
"It has to do with the evolu- g•
tion of a city and the evolution "quite pleased" with the new k
of a community," said Mayor building.
Elizabeth Kautz, who was At 15,773 square feet, the
elected in November to a third project cost $1.935 million, but
term. Jensen expects it to come in CONSTRUCTION IS nearly complete at Eagan's new Fire Administr
"We're getting all old and under budget. city will hold a grand opening at the building in February. Photc
settled now," Moran said. The administration building Blood
A two-year term is certainly has two floors and a basement.
convenient for the mayor, said The basement is reserved for
Kautz, who hasn't decided storage. The first floor contains
whether to seek re-election in office space and a reception
4
2000. area. It also houses living quay-
"But another part of me says, ,
g yT. including a bathroom fully-
she
is good for the cit g a full
she said, adding a mayor might equipped kitchen with an at- *�'
need four years to learn the tached living room, and two
ropes. "At the end of four bedrooms.
"It's basically
years, they've learned quite a "Ity an �-•
lot. They feel comfortable in apartment," said Jensen. .
their role as mayor and feel A large, two-bay garage is
comfortable in what they've adjacent to the living quarters,
learned on a regional basis." which will house an ambu-
lance and seasonal fire vehi-
Shover voiced unease with
the change but said it may cies.
have advantages, too. The second floor holds a
"I wonder if voters would large conference room with a 3
take more interest in electing a 100-inch rear-projection video
mayor for four years and if screen and room to seat 125
they'd take it more seriously," people theater-style.
`
she said. Jensen said the room will be
A potential disadvantage is used for training, city events,
that voters would be unable to and will.be available to rent by
unseat a three-fifths majority of the public.
the five-member council in The entire building is up-to-
each election year, said Coun- date on American Disability ONE OF the highlights of the new Fire Administration building is a c
cil Member Charlie Crichton. Act standards, and includes room that can seat up to 125 people theater-style. Photo by Sara Thor
Kautz said her predecessor as wheelchair-accessible ramps
mayor, state Rep. Dan McEl- and an elevator. tect, engineer, interior designer covered in periwinkle, gold tion bu
roy, also endorses a four-year But most who enter the build- and space planner. and cinnamon. An of
term. ing will be surprised with the The interior colors were cho- "They are comfortable colors ribbon
The council also discussed interior design of the building, sen by the fire chief and staff. that are more soothing than new Ea
whether to increase the size of which was created by Boar- The colors are described by cool," said Groves. building
the council or hold odd-year man, Kroos, Pfister, Vogel and Suzy Groves,,the project's in- The colors lend themselves in Feb
elections, but decided to make Associates, based in Minnea- terior designer, as "eclectic." well to the busy activity that Council
no changes. polis. The firm served as archi- Walls, carpets and chairs are takes place at the administra-