By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 28, 2009

ZEPHYRHILLS - Three architecture firms made presentations to Zephyrhills City Council on Monday in hopes of landing a contract to design renovations for the city's downtown fire station, but it was a clearly a two-way race.

Three of the council members ranked Tampa-based Collman & Karsky first. Two gave the Bacon Group the higher ranking, but the council voted unanimously to begin negotiations with Collman & Karsky for the redesign of Fire Station 2.

The Bacon Group designed the city's Fire Station 1, which was completed in 2000. Firefighters refer to the Dairy Road station as "the palace," but architects from the Bacon Group worked with city staff to cut the station's construction cost.

"We want to make sure it complements Fire Station 1," Rick Bacon said.

Council members lauded the firm's work, but said Collman & Karsky had a "distinct advantage" by teaming with architect Jeff Middlebrook, who already completed a preliminary design for the building while working as a consultant for the city.

"We don't have a learning curve," Rod Collman said. "We can hit the ground running."

Collman's team pledged to have construction documents two months earlier than Bacon. Construction could start in December and be completed by May 2010.

Middlebrook's experience with LPA Group, the city's consulting engineer, also gave his team background on the drainage conditions that led to the flooding of Station 2 in the first place. The station has been out of service since January 2008 because of water damage.

"I didn't realize what a disadvantage the other firms would be at until Mr. Middlebrook and Collman & Karsky made their presentation," council member Jodi Wilkeson said.

The third finalist, the Wilder Group, will embark on another fire station renovation.

"We're in the process of buying an old fire station from the city of Tampa and moving our offices there, so it's kind of ironic," president Larry Wilder said.