Ames is one step closer to breaking ground for a new fire station.

The Ames City Council on Tuesday approved up to $806,300 for the next phase of designing a new fire station to replace the aging Station No. 2 on Welch Avenue in Campustown.

The city will hire Brown Reynolds Watford Architects, a firm based in College Station, Texas, to complete detailed design work and construction documents for the new station.

The current fire station at 132 Welch Ave. was built in 1966 and has serious problems. Fire trucks have to back into the station when they return from calls because the lot is too small for them to drive straight through. The 5,500-square-foot building is outdated and no longer meets modern fire service standards.

Voters approved construction of a new station in November with 86.7% voting yes.

The new station will be built on land leased from Iowa State University at 601 State Ave. City officials say the new location will help firefighters respond faster to emergencies across Ames.

The total project budget is just over $10.5 million, which will cover everything from land lease and design to construction, equipment and utility hookups.

The city already paid Brown Reynolds Watford $78,800 in April of 2025 to create initial designs and cost estimates. Staff members recommend sticking with the same firm for the rest of the project to avoid delays and keep the work consistent.

The architectural fees represent about 8.35 percent of the total project cost, which city officials say is normal for public safety buildings. These fees typically range from 7% to 10% for complex projects such as fire stations, especially ones that include energy-efficient features, according to staff.

The new station is being designed as “Net-Zero Ready,” meaning it can be built to produce as much energy as it uses. Construction is expected to cost about $8.9 million, with additional money set aside for furniture, testing, project management and connecting utilities.

The city’s first digital billboard

The council approved a lease agreement that would bring the city’s first digital billboard to a location along Highway 30 near the Hunziker Youth Sports Complex.

The billboard will be located on city property about 320 feet west of the parking lot for the sports complex. It will feature two angled display boards facing Highway 30 and will be set back 10 feet from a private drive. Part of the southern edge will overhang a recently constructed trail.

Under the proposed 20-year lease with Lamar Advertising, the city would receive an initial payment of $25,000 per year, with rent increasing every five years by either 15% or the consumer price index, whichever is greater. The agreement also includes two options to extend the lease for an additional 10 years each.

Previous billboard discussions: The billboard project stems from discussions that began in October 2022 about the Linc development on Lincoln Way. That project required the removal of two existing billboards on the site, and Lamar Advertising agreed to end those leases early if the city could provide an alternative location. The company expressed interest in a digital billboard, which does not currently exist in Ames.

City staff members presented the concept to the council last February, and the council directed them to move forward with the necessary zoning changes and lease negotiations. By June, the city had approved revisions to its zoning ordinance to allow digital billboards and establish standards for digital displays.

Lease agreement: The lease includes several restrictions on advertising content. Lamar cannot advertise tobacco products, vaping products or adult entertainment. The company also cannot run advertisements that would damage the reputation of businesses or activities in Ames. In exchange for the lease, the city will receive free public service announcement space when available, with a minimum of four, two-week periods guaranteed each year.

Lamar will be responsible for removing trees that obstruct the view of the billboard from the highway. The city forester said these are undesirable volunteer trees growing in the fence line. The company must pay for both the removal of these trees and the planting of replacement trees in a better location.

The company also agrees to protect the city from any legal liability related to the billboard.

The approval process was delayed from its original fall 2025 target while staff worked out details regarding the tree removal.

In other business

• The council approved a comprehensive analysis of its storm sewer system, awarding a contract worth up to $490,370 to HDR Engineering, Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska. The study aims to identify problem areas where flooding occurs and guide future investments in the city’s stormwater infrastructure.
• The council went into closed session to discuss matters presently in litigation or litigation that’s imminent.
• Attendance Rep. Rachel Junck (Fourth Ward) and Ex-officio Rep. Emily Boland attended the meeting telephonically.
• What’s next: The next regularly scheduled council meeting will be 6 p.m., Jan. 27 at Ames City Hall.