Foley Safe Room Contract Let

Construction is expected to begin soon on a new safe room on North Poplar Street that the City of Foley says will provide shelter for its first responders during hurricanes and other emergencies. The Foley City Council awarded the construction contract to Roy Lewis Construction, which submitted the lowest bid among 11 companies. The bid of $3.72 million came in significantly below the projected cost. “We, the architects and everybody thought it was going to be $5.7 million, so this is really good news,” Mayor Ralph Hellmich said. City officials have been working with federal and state agencies since 2020 to secure funding for the project. Most of the cost will be covered by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The facility is designed to shelter more than 200 people during a hurricane and will be constructed to withstand winds up to 200 mph. It will include a 400-kW generator capable of operating on either natural gas or diesel fuel, as well as kitchen facilities and other amenities needed to house personnel during emergencies.