The city of Albert Lea is looking further into purchasing property in two sections of the East Main Street corridor that could house the Albert Lea Fire Department within the next two years.

Councilors Monday during a closed session directed Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams to speak with property owners at:

702 E. Main St.

712 E. Main St., the building that housed the Albert Lea Township Fire Department

714 E. Main St.

716 E. Main St.

801 E. Main St.

802 E. Main St., the former Domino’s Pizza building

The council also asked Adams to look into four addresses west of the area that could also house the facility.

310 E. Main St., the Fleet Farm Supply building

316 E. Main St.

309 E. College St.

313 E. College St.

319 Elizabeth Ave.

“The council basically gave me direction to explore those two sites further, have some more conversations and bring back the report on those conversations to the council,” Adams said. He plans to have a site report complete soon.

Blazing Star Landing is also still being looked at by the city as a possible site for the station.

Adams said he hopes a preferred site for the station is identified in the coming weeks before the process moves into plans and specifications this winter. Bidding is planned this spring, and construction on the new fire station is expected to start next year.

The topic is expected to be discussed Dec. 7 at an Albert Lea City Council work session and could be addressed Dec. 11 at the council meeting.

Adams said the current fire facility is causing safety concerns, including access issues for department members entering and exiting vehicles, gear storage hazards and a lack of proper training space.

An emergency operations center is expected to be included in the new facility without additional costs.

“The community needs an emergency operations center, and we can double that training area into an EOC when there’s an emergency situation,” Adams said. “That’s probably something that we haven’t really talked about.”

He said the Fire Department has “outgrown” its current space.

The city is evaluating possible uses for the current facility once the Fire Department enters a new facility, such as a community partner leasing the space, Community Education and Recreation Department offices moving into the building, the space serving as a break room or as storage space.

To Adams, each site has advantages and disadvantages. Though the East Main Street corridor is centrally located, it has size restrictions, he said, adding though Blazing Star Landing has open land, there are concerns that placing a fire station at the site would not be in the city’s master plan.

First Ward Councilor Rich Murray said Wednesday he would be inclined to support the facility’s placement on the 700 and 800 blocks of East Main Street because it is close to the center of the city.

Though stating Blazing Star Landing includes a low infrastructure cost, Murray said the spot is in less of a central location.

Murray said he needs to know how expensive the project will be to know if he can support it. Initial figures that ranged from $7 million to $10 million were too expensive, he said, adding he supports a figure that is on the low end of the $5 million to $7 million project cost the council has discussed.

Murray said he wants the project to fit into the city’s existing budget so it does not raise taxes.