Township officials agree and are expected later this month, at their May 13 meeting, to vote on a path forward for expanding the station.  

The two options on the table, said Allendale Township Supervisor Adam Elenbaas, are either expanding the current station, which is attached to the township offices, or building a larger, standalone station neighboring the township offices.

If the standalone option is chosen, space in the township offices occupied now by the fire department would likely be repurposed for a use not yet determined, Elenbaas said.

Most of the drywall has been installed and the apparatus bay has been painted. The interior plumbing and electrical work is nearing completion and crews will begin moving in the kitchen fixtures and other furnishings once the last of the walls and doors have been installed. One of the alternates that city council approved was the decision to install four-fold doors instead of overhead retractable doors, a design choice that Lewis said is more about practicality than aesthetics.