LFD Open House Sheds Light on Main House’s Structural Issues

Armed with a fresh engineer’s report and spurred by concern that the scaffolding band-aid holding up Lindenhurst’s main firehouse isn’t a permanent solution, and the Lindenhurst Fire Department held an on May 1 so the community could see the severe structural problems faced by the circa-1923 building.

It was held on the last day of the annual Chamber of Commerce-sponsored , so there was a steady stream of people on South Wellwood Avenue in front of the LFD main house.

The mayor and department officials took many visitors on a tour of the firehouse, and described the problems.

According to the mayor, the ugly scaffolding on the façade of the building is just a surface indication of deeper underlying problems.

Adding to the 90 years of heavy-duty wear and tear on the building, Mayor Brennan said, was the lingering effects of a major fire that severely damaged the building in 1978.

“We’re now seeing serious structural and mechanical issues that must be addressed and will require the village to make major decisions regarding the future of this facility,” noted Brennan, who previously told Lindenhurst Patch at the on that .

The engineer’s report – which was submitted to the mayor’s office in January by ECG Engineering of Smithtown – details the current condition of the four original exterior walls that remain and the interior reconstruction that took place as a result of the 1979-1980 reconstruction following the 1978 fire.

“It’s clear that the potential exists for a significant structural failure in this building,” noted the ECG Engineering report. “It’s recommended that the north, south and east walls of the structure be removed and rebuilt as new. The ability to repair these structures…borders on impossible.”

The full report is now available on the village’s website. Among its key findings:

• Sections of parapet that have decayed to such an extent that significant portions of the structure have fallen to the roof and grade below and have now become unstable and at risk of complete collapse.
• Shifting in the loads of the parapet that have radiated down into the lower supporting block wall.
• Portions of the steel frame that have “completely failed as a result of rust, with a section of the railing surrounding the top platform becoming unstable.”
• Severe disrepair of the brick east wall.
• Hollow spots and significant vertical cracks in the south wall, including one portion that measured approximately 26 inches long and varied from 1/8” to 1-1/4” in width.
• Significant safety issues with the emergency exit from the main meeting room, due to non-compliance with current regulations.
• Sagging and soft spots on the roof, suggesting the existing roof deck may have extensive damage resulting from water intrusion.

Moreover, the report said, with the changes in current NFPA requirements, and the need for new and improved apparatus for fire districts, the ability to adapt the existing structure to current requirements is not practical.

"Any plan to widen or raise the equipment bay doors to allow for wider or taller apparatus borders on the impossible due to the limitations of the existing internal structure and architecture," noted the ECG Engineering report.

Among those who provided guided tours on May 1 was First Assistant Chief Mike McCloud, who noted the deterioration of mortar, ceramic and terracotta on the upper walls, which have become porous and unstable, allowing water to seep inside. The roof and ceiling area, he said, were becoming quite unstable.

“If you go up on the roof and walk, you can feel it bounce,” added John Palermo, who’s on the department’s building committee.

This is not the first time the fire department has raised the issue of major repairs to the main house. In 2008 a proposal was put before the community to undergo major work, , when the economy was collapsing and heading into recession. The non-binding resolution was voted down.

Second Assistant Chief Mike Degregorio hopes that if residents fully understand the situation, then they’ll respond favorably this time around.

“We’ve got nothing to hide. We want the people to be involved – it’s their building,” Degregorio said, adding, “It‘s deteriorated more, and the engineer‘s report says it‘s beyond repair.”

When asked if they should move the main house’s location instead, fire officials said no.

“We’re located in the hub of the village,” McCloud said. “We’re part of what makes Lindenhurst, Lindenhurst.”

Degregorio agreed: “The footprint is going to be here -- we’re not moving.”

The Mayor’s and LFD’s next step in raising awareness about the main house’s severe structural and safety issues will be to hold a Community Forum at the firehouse.

Set for May 19 at 7 p.m., the forum will include presentations by engineers, as well as village and fire department officials. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss options regarding the future of the main house.