Update on the new City of Hope Fire Department Project

Dear Citizens of Hope,

I’d like to provide an update regarding the progress of our new, state-of-the-art City of Hope Fire Department facility. As many of you may recall, we successfully closed on our bond funds in May 2025. Shortly thereafter, on May 20, 2025, the Board of Directors voted to proceed with the preferred site location at 501 E. Third Street.

City staff is actively conducting due diligence to ensure a responsible and informed property acquisition. We have reached an agreement on the purchase price with the current property owners. However, before finalizing any purchase, we are undertaking several critical assessments, including:
• Asbestos testing
• Environmental Site Assessments
• Demolition cost estimates

These evaluations are essential to fully understand the total cost of ownership and to identify any potential liabilities associated with the site. Our goal is to ensure that construction on this property is feasible within the funding approved by the citizens of Hope.

We recognize that rushing this process could lead to costly issues down the road—particularly concerning subgrade foundation conditions. That’s why we are balancing expediency with prudence, conducting thorough investigations to protect taxpayer dollars.

If the results of these assessments fall within acceptable parameters as approved by the Board of Directors, staff will proceed with the purchase and closing of the property.

Meanwhile, preliminary engineering work is already underway, and once the property is secured, we will initiate geotechnical studies to determine the foundation requirements for the new facility.

I hope this update provides clarity on the steps involved in this important real estate and infrastructure project. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Sincerely,
JR Wilson
City Manager, City of Hope