Timeline
Current Step: Site Design - Master Planning Next Step: Site Design - Schematic Design
The City is currently working on Site Design and Master Planning for both the East Fire Station and adjacent Lilac Drive. The City Council will consider contracts for architectural services to design the new East Fire Station, design and construction services to realign Lilac Dr, and construction manager at risk (CMAR) to oversee project design and construction planning on June 2, 2026.
The City Council will discuss and evaluate opportunities for future uses for the sites of Stations 2 and 3. The City hopes to have the new East Fire Station completed in 2028.
About the Project Phases
There are several key steps when it comes to building a new public facility. They can broadly be broken down into the following:
1.
Site Acquisition
Site acquisition is the process of identifying, evaluating, and securing land suitable for the project.
2.
Site Design
Once a site has been selected and acquired, the City can move into the site design process. The City publishes a Request for Proposal (RFP) to seek qualified firms to design the site. Once selected, architects and engineers create detailed plans for the facility. The design phase may have multiple phases, including:
Design Team Selection: Selecting a firm to create a design for a project
Master Planning: Developing an overall building and site concept
Schematic Design: Creating building and site architectural designs
Design Development: Refining of conceptual design and developing construction methods
Construction Documents: Illustrating exact project design specifications and outlining expectations for the contractor
3.
Site Preparation
After the site design is complete, the land is cleared and made ready for construction. This can involve demolition, grading, utility relocation, and environmental mitigation.
4.
Bidding
At this point, the project is put out to bid for contractors to submit proposals. Bids are reviewed based on cost, qualifications, and compliance with public procurement laws.
5.
Building
Once all prior steps have been complete, construction may begin, following the approved design and schedule. This includes ongoing inspections, quality control, and eventual commissioning of the facility for public use.
Milestones Along the Way
2025
2025
As of May 1, 2026, the City owns the site at 1875 Lilac Drive.
On Sept 16, 2025, Golden Valley City Council passed a resolution identifying 1875 Lilac Dr as the site for the new East Fire Station.
City Staff worked with the Federal Legislature to apply for additional funding.
2023
The City hosted multiple public open houses on the Fire Station Location Project in February 2023 to gather feedback from community members and update residents on status of the project.
2021
Throughout 2020 and 2021, the Facilities Study Task Force engaged the Golden Valley community and gathered input through surveys, a virtual open house and a virtual forum, and meetings with downtown businesses, civic organizations, and various local groups.
In September 2021, the Facilities Study Task Force presented recommendations to the City Council for redeveloping City-owned facilities, which included how to best address the shortcomings of the Public Works and Public Safety buildings.
In December 2021, the City collaborated with technical experts to develop its Municipal Facilities Master Plan Study. The study combined the City’s long-term goals and needs assessments to create plans for the future of downtown Golden Valley and its facilities.
2020
The City created the Facilities Study Task Force in 2020 to further explore ways its public buildings could best serve the community and create new development opportunities in downtown Golden Valley.
The Facilities Study Task Force—made up of residents, business leaders, City staff, and a Planning Commission representative—laid the groundwork for development of a long-term plan to address the City’s building needs.
2016
An analysis of Golden Valley’s fire and rescue services was completed in 2016 to identify what the Fire Department needs to transition to a duty crew staffing structure to continue providing the community with adequate response times.