No longer do Wright City firefighters have to worry about sleeping in the kitchen or being housed temporarily at other locations. A project to expand and remodel the district's main headquarters is drawing rave reviews from firefighters and staff. The expansion and renovation of Station 1 was triggered due to the presence of mold, which forced a portion of the facility, located at 396 N.W. 2nd St., to be closed since April 2010. The district moved to a temporary office space in a strip mall on the north side of Interstate 70. While construction was under way, on-duty firefighters worked for about a year at Station 3, located several miles north of Wright City on Highway WW where the sleeping quarters also served as the kitchen, when not present at the temporary office or Station 1 bay area. District staff moved back to Station 1 in June. The project cost the district approximately $400,000. Reserve funds were used to cover the expense. Initially, the project was estimated to cost around $350,000, but the overall amount also included the expense for mold remediation, pouring a new concrete pad in front of the bay area and roof repairs. The district's insurance provider wouldn't pay for the project since it was not caused by storm damage. Arch Images, of Kirkwood, served as the project architect. T.S. Banze Construction was the general contractor. The public will be invited to see the district's improved headquarters during an open house in October, likely to be held in with National Fire Safety Week, according to Fire Chief Ron MacKnight. "Fortunately, we didn't have to go to the voters and we could pay cash for the project," MacKnight said. "It will serve a purpose for a long time." A 40-by-47-foot addition was constructed to the east of the existing structure, providing space for a bunk room, restroom, kitchen, day room and fitness room. The sleeping quarters were moved to the north side of the addition, as far away from the railroad tracks as possible. In the former setup, firefighters slept in a room closest to the railroad tracks. The expanded facility provides a more comfortable atmosphere for firefighters during their shifts. At least two paid firefighters are on duty on the weekdays with at least one on the weekends, while volunteers spend a considerable amount of time helping out. "I like it," firefighter Mike Holtmeier said. "We definitely made a lot of progress. It came out very nice." Firefighter John Lacaillade added: "It's a home away from home." The renovation to the existing portion of the station included building a reception area, three offices, meeting room, kitchen and storage area. The meeting room was built to be handicapped-accessible so the area could be used by others if needed. Holtmeier complimented the district's building committee for their work in helping plan the project. The committee was comprised of six paid and volunteer firefighters, including Holtmeier, who served as the chairman. "The committee did an awesome job," Holtmeier said. "Everybody was going for the same goal. We're glad how it came out." The mold became noticeable in 2009 when carpet was replaced and spots were found on ceiling tiles. District officials said the building had been prone to water leaks over the years. A test, conducted Feb. 15, 2010, by O'Fallon-based ABH Solutions, confirmed the mold presence. According to the report, mold was found in the bunk area, chief's office and bay area. The mold never led to any health issues, though the affected areas were sealed off to employees upon discovery. -recnews@centurytel.net