NORMAL (25News Now) – A new fire station in Normal would likely cost more than twice as much as originally estimated.

On Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the $7.7 million Station 2 extension to Hershey and Shepard roads in northeast Normal, nearly $3 million more than the original estimate of about $5 million.

“We had three fire stations at the time and were considering relocating them to meet the needs of the growing community and call sources,” said Normal City Council member Kevin McCarthy.

A total of $1 million in state funding will be provided for the new building, with the remainder coming from funds saved by the city for the project.

“When we first did a cost estimate over four years ago, it has changed since the pandemic and construction costs, so the proposal increased significantly,” McCarthy said.

This new station will feature new amenities for Normal firefighters.

“Firefighters are normally on duty 24 hours a day, so there will be sleeping quarters. Sleeping quarters are always part of a fire station. Of course, there will also be dining facilities, such as a cafeteria or a kitchen area,” McCarthy said.

This is the second phase of a three-stage process to build fire stations throughout Normal. Your next location is expected to cover the northwest and west of Normal.

“It’s really about managing response times so that we can get to people as quickly as possible and in a timely manner. And we have standards for response times,” McCarthy said.

Construction will begin in early October and is expected to be completed in October 2025.

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