Renovations to the Mineola Firehouse, located on Washington Avenue, are taking longer than expected. Although companies one and two were supposed to have been in their improved dwelling in the spring, they should move in within the coming weeks, according to a village official.

Village attorney John Spellman said the firehouse is basically ready except for some minor items and expects companies one and two of the Mineola Fire Department to move into their new home within the next two to three weeks.

According to Spellman, there are no serious problems with the firehouse and the village is just being cautious before allowing the fire department to move in.

One of the items that needs to be resolved is another coat of finish on the department meeting room floor. Also, exhaust hoods for the stoves in the firehouse have to be approved by the fire marshal. The village is also expected to decide this week if they will wait until all three parking lots are finished before letting the fire department move in.

Currently, three parking lots outside of the firehouse are being redone. They are those on the north and south sides of the firehouse as well as the village municipal lot on the west side of the structure.

It may make sense for the village to wait until the parking lots are finished and the pavement is down before allowing the fire department to move in. This way, dirt and debris from the lots won't be tracked into the newly renovated structure. The village would like to also avoid any conflicts between contruction workers.

"We've waited this long. We might just wait until it is done," Spellman said.

Among the additions to the firehouse, located on Washington Avenue, are two new higher bays, recreation rooms that were reconfigured, a refinished department hall and an elevator for handicapped access.

The most important addition, according to Deputy Mayor Lou Santosus, the village's liaison to the fire department, is that now the entire building has sprinklers. Had a fire occurred at the firehouse before it was redone, it would have put millions of dollars of equipment at risk. "It really was a building that needed sprinklers and needed to be updated with its plumbing and electric," Santosus said.

In addition, the ladder trucks, which used to practically rub up against the top of the ceiling now have more clearance in the new bays. Additional room was also needed in the firehouse since engine or pumpers, as they are known, are now required to have internal cabs, which make them larger vehicles.

Also, the new firehouse will provide proper storage for equipment that might otherwise have to be stored in other parts of the village. "We think we're going to have a real good, state-of-the-art fire department with a great communications system and proper storage for our trucks and especially for the larger equipment, which had to be squeezed in," Spellman said.

According to Santosus, the firehouse will also serve as a command center for any type of emergency in the village, such as a storm or a power outage.

Village Clerk Lou DiDomenico said some of the delay could have been because the project called for the renovation of an existing building as opposed to the construction of a new structure. There were things that had to be custom-made or addressed based on what was already there. "Sometimes that can be difficult," he said.

However, Spellman said that everything has been worked out, corrected and taken care of.