OCEAN PINES, MD– The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors unanimously approved a construction contract for a new fire station on the community's south side, with plans to break ground in February.
The Whayland Company was awarded a bid for construction, estimated to take 60 weeks, according to a press release.
Plans for the new station are years in the making, with a $1.52 million state grant approved in April 2022, following a 2020 assessment.
The entire project is estimated to cost over $6 million, with OPA covering approximately $3.4 million.
The Association says it previously considered lower-cost renovations for the station built in 1981, but new construction is necessary to meet the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department's needs.
OPVFD says the station, originally built in 1981, has fallen out of code compliance, is over capacity and has various signs of disrepair.
Officials say the rebuild will include code updates, ADA-compliant public access, reconfigured parking, two new apparatus bays and a new firefighter memorial, among other additions.
Ocean Pines neighbors approved plans for the new station in a July-August 2025 referendum.
A groundbreaking date has yet to be determined.