Fire House #4 Seeks Drainage Fix to End Decades of Flooding

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (September 30, 2025) — The City of New Rochelle is tackling persistent flooding issues at Fire House #4, located at 155 Drake Avenue, with a new request for proposals (RFP) for professional engineering services to address drainage problems that have plagued the station’s basement for over 20 years.

The RFP, issued by the city’s Department of Public Works, seeks engineering firms to develop solutions for recurring groundwater infiltration and seepage. The project aims to eliminate flooding conditions through conceptual drainage improvements, detailed design, and construction support.

According to the RFP, the fire station’s basement faces constant groundwater seepage through the concrete slab and walls, particularly under the staircase near the front of the building. Two sump pumps installed in the basement run nearly continuously but often fail to keep up during storm events, allowing water to pool. The document notes that without the pumps, groundwater would consistently infiltrate and flood the basement.

The city is seeking a firm to conduct a formal engineering analysis and propose at least two drainage improvement options, including estimated construction costs, by November 30, 2025.

“The purpose of this project is to investigate the flooding conditions,” the RFP states, with the goal of identifying retrofits or operational changes to prevent water from entering the basement and repair existing damages.

The project is divided into three phases. Phase 1 involves analyzing the flooding and developing conceptual solutions, with deliverables including a summary of improvement options, utility relocation recommendations, design solutions, plans, and cost estimates. Phase 2 will advance the selected option into detailed design and bid documents, while Phase 3 provides engineering support during construction. Firms must submit a lump sum fee for Phase 1 and proposed billing rates for Phases 2 and 3.

Proposals are due on October 22, 2025.

For more details, the RFP and related documents are available at http://www.newrochelleny.com/bids.aspx under Bid Opportunities.

This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.