FOLEY — Foley’s Glen Lakes subdivision is yet another step closer to having a new fire station.

During its regular meeting Monday, the Foley City Council awarded David Adams of Adams Stewart LLC in Robertsdale the architect contract for the construction of the fire house at a cost of up to $43,000.

“He’s got recent fire station construction experience,” Foley Fire Chief Joey Darby said during the work session that preceded the Council meeting.

That experience includes new fire stations in Bay Minette and Gulf Shores.

“I talked to the fire chiefs, and they’re extremely happy,” Darby said.

In addition, Darby said Adams said he could come in under budget for the new Foley fire station.

“We had a goal of $150 a foot,” the fire chief said. “But he (Adams) came in and said he could build an adequate fire station for $110 to $125 a foot. That’s a big savings.”

As previously reported last June, Glen Lakes residents David and Sue Vosloh approached Darby about the possibility of donating land in the southwest Foley subdivision to the Foley Fire Department if a fully-manned fire station would be placed there. Darby brought the proposal to the Council, who authorized a survey of the land that sits on County Road 12 and Fairview.

In November, Darby returned to the Council, explaining that Vosloh had been out of town and with his return this fall, it was possible to move forward with the project. That move, he added, included survey revealed that the land in question was housed on two parcels of land and that only the southwest corner would be needed for the fire station.

In December, Darby reported to the Council that he brought the venture to the Foley Planning Commission and continued work on the project found that 0.33 acre was needed for the fire station, adding that the land was valued at $30,000.

Upon completion, the Glen Lakes Fire Station is expected to staff nine full-time firefighters at a cost of $600,000 to the city. But the venture would shave 10 minutes off the Foley Fire Department’s response time to the Forward City’s most populated subdivision, which exceeds 500 residents.

According to a letter provided by Adams to the city, his work on providing the fire station will include a 4,000-foot structure that contains two drive-through truck bays and offices for staff and a police presence.