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Historical Timeline

1990 Police Station Space Needs Analysis

Calls for an addition to the existing station at 24 North Amherst Road or a new station of 8,800 SF on Route 101.

1990 Master Plan

Calls for a new central fire station on South River Road with renovations to the existing station at 10 Meetinghouse Road. A third unmanned station at the corner of Joppa Hill Road and Golden Drive was proposed for the future (10 years).

1990

The town acquired land at the corner of South River Road & Hawthorne Drive for a fire station as part of a private development proposal. Later, it was sold to Daniel Webster Animal Hospital and used for a highway widening/turning lane project.

1991

Town Council adds a $1.5M CIP project for a Route 3 fire station (not funded).

1992

Hilltop Mutual Aid Fire District is formed as a joint effort of Bedford, New Boston, and Amherst and operates out of the station located at the Air Force Tracking Station (now Space Station). Safety Building Committee formed.

1993 Bond Article

The Safety Complex $2M warrant article passed.

1994

The current Safety Complex became operational. 24,000 SF of office space and 13,900 SF apparatus bay addition for a total of 38,000 SF.

2000 Master Plan

The Fire Chief reissues the need to address calls to South River Road.
Consideration is given to a joint daytime substation with Merrimack. The Joppa Hill station is again cited as needed even though the Hilltop station was seeing relatively low calls for service.

2004

The town acquired land in front of Target as part of the private development for a fire substation. (never utilized, determined not suitable)

2005 Fire Substation Needs Study

The Town Manager and Fire Chief complete a report
calling for further study of a substation on South River Road.

2005 MRI Study

Calls for a 2-bay fire substation to be built in the South River Road area that will minimize response times to the statistically largest response volume area. OSHA, NFPA, & ISO Standards cited. Calls for Hilltop Station to be staffed with neighboring communities as in the past.

2010 Master Plan

Restates that needs the identified in the 2000 Master Plan and calls for the Fire Substation to be constructed as soon as possible.

2011 Infrastructure Bond

A safety substation on South River Road was included at $1.5M in
the $13.2M bond. Passed with 69% of the vote. ($1.2M of the station funds later reallocated)

2013 Site Selection Process

Brickstone Land Use Consultants, Scully Architects & Mitchell
Associates hired to recommend a site on South River Road. 25 sites reviewed, and 6 viable sites had concepts developed. 5 were recommended.

2013 Site Selection Process

Brickstone Land Use Consultants, Scully Architects & Mitchell
Associates hired to recommend a site on South River Road. 25 sites reviewed, and 6 viable sites had concepts developed. 5 were recommended. New Boston agreement renewed, better coverage for west Bedford.

2014 Bond Question on the Ballot

Article 4 sought $3.8M for purchase of property and construction of a Safety Substation on South River Road. No location was identified. Received 56% of the vote but needed 66.7%.

2014 Site Acquired

The former Napa Auto Parts store was purchased at 4 Sunset Lane for
$885K.

2015 Preliminary Design

Several concepts for 4 Sunset Lane are developed for a Fire Substation by Scully Architects. $2.2M & $2.7M options considered, but the Council decides to not put the project forward to the voters and adds staff instead.

2015 Safety Complex Space Needs Assessment

H.L. Turner Group hired to look at options for Police expansion and adding the radio station, Planning and Assessing departments.

2017-2018 All Town Facilities Space Needs Plan

Harriman Associates was hired to review the space needs of all departments and recommend a comprehensive plan. A new 25,000 SF
Police Station was recommended at 47 Constitution Drive and the construction of the Fire Substation at 4 Sunset Lane was again recommended.

2018-2022

The Council Facilities Subcommittee reviews numerous sites for combined and standalone Police Stations and Fire Substations. Lease and purchase options are considered for several sites. They and the Council determine that combined site is preferred in the South River
Road Corridor.

2021 Master Plan

Restates that needs to be identified in the earlier Master Plans and calls for the Fire Substation at 4 Sunset Lane or other land on South River Road and a new Police Station at
47 Constitution Drive.

2021

$2M Capital Reserve Account established for the acquisition of land and the construction of facilities.

2022

Fulcrum Associates is hired as the Construction Management lead with Lavallee Brensinger Architects and VHB Engineers as the design team for a new Police Station combined with a Fire Substation, a remodeled Safety Complex that now also included the Planning Department, and a remodeled Town Office Building. 4 Sunset Lane is sold for $1.5M as it is determined not to be large enough for the combined complex. (money added to the Capital Reserve Account in 2023 now at $3.5M)

2023

Town obtains a P&S for 12 acres of land known as 300 South River Road for $2.445M with a closing scheduled for May 15, 2023.