UNIVERSITY CITY • When he applied for federal stimulus money to build a new fire station, the city's chief described the existing building as one that posed health problems and was at risk of "collapse."
Steve Olshwanger wrote in his 35-page application that the station was dangerously unstable, with damage to support columns, and rife with black, toxic mold.
He also said the station's roof was deteriorating and the supports underlying it were damaged.
Olshwanger submitted the application last summer to replace Station No. 1, at 6801 Delmar Boulevard. FEMA accepted Olshwanger's pitch and in October gave the city $2.6 million in stimulus money for the new station.
But a tour last week of the 107-year-old station by the Post-Dispatch showed that while it may be a dreary place for firefighters to bunk, no structural problems were visible. And an examination of city documents showed that some of the problems cited by Olshwanger have already been fixed.
People are also reading…
The grant application did not include an assessment by a structural engineer. Instead, a building inspector's report cited numerous code violations — but none of them indicated any dangerous structural problems.
The report did describe a concrete beam on the second floor as "deteriorated," but a city official later acknowledged that the damage was a "cosmetic defect."
Records also indicate that the mold and roof problems have been repaired over the last few years.
The department's interim fire chief, Don Miner, confirmed after the tour that the mold remediation was successful.
"Even the guy (a fireman) who used to complain the most about mold no longer has any problems with it," he said.
Interim city manager Janet Watson, who also took part in the tour, conceded later that she did not know of any major structural flaws.
"If there are any serious structural problems with the station, I don't know where they are," she said.
The building, in fact, is apparently in good enough condition to still be used. The Police Department, which needs more space, is taking it over after the new fire station is built.
Olshwanger, who resigned recently to become chief of the Maryland Heights Fire Protection District, stood by his assessment. He denied exaggerating the station's deficiencies to win the federal grant.
"I want to see a new firehouse built that will be safe for the men and women in our department," he said.
THE APPLICATION
The new station will be built at the northwestern corner of Vernon and Westgate avenues on land donated to the city by Washington University. The city is using $200,000 of its own money for the station, which is expected to open in 2011.
Station No. 1, adjacent to City Hall, will be turned over to the Police Department. The city's other fire station, at North and South Road and Shaftesbury Avenue, will remain in operation after the new station is built.
Olshwanger, 49, joined the department 28 years ago and became chief five years ago. He worked his last shift on July 19 and will soon take over at the Maryland Heights district.
He filed the grant application a year ago after reading about available federal stimulus money in a firefighters trade magazine.
The grant guidelines set out by the Federal Emergency Management Agency emphasized that top priority would be given "to replace unsafe or uninhabitable structures."
One passage of University City's application states, "At some point, the structural support may possibly fail and a collapse could result."
Elsewhere, regarding black mold, mildew and other toxic substances, Olshwanger wrote:
"Without immediate action, our full time staff will continue to suffer health problems and furthermore will create legal action against our financially strapped city. The eventual outcome of same could lead to the disbanding of our department and subcontracting with another agency, further away, for services and the subsequent idling of a band of productive, well-trained individuals."
On the tour last week, Olshwanger, Miner and Watson showed what they said were problems at the station: the defect in the concrete beam; peeling paint in the bunk quarters; and signs of past water damage.
They pointed out the basement storage area, where the ceiling is too low for firefighters to stand up. They showed the small kitchen and cramped dining area, and the dark, drab bunk room where male and female firefighters share space.
The officials also pointed out small black spots beneath a register that they said was evidence of mold.
After the tour, Olshwanger cited a 2007 engineering report that had recommended a new floor in the bay area.
"I assumed that whatever problems were uncovered at that time were present throughout the building. And I believe they are," he said.
The floor was repaired in 2008 at a cost of $140,000, records show.
When asked why firefighters continued to live and work in a building that he felt posed imminent danger, Olshwanger replied, "That's why I'm trying to get them a new station."
In June 2009, a city building inspector examined the fire station. The inspection found 58 code violations, but none cited serious structural damage. The violations were for items such as an improperly installed trap in a laundry sink, improper electrical wiring and "junk" blocking stairs.
The inspection also found concrete flaking at the base of a second-floor beam. In an e-mail last month to city officials, Andrea Riganti, acting director of the city's community development department, described the flaking as a "cosmetic defect."
Riganti also noted in the e-mail that the inspection was conducted "to assess conditions of the building for use in the grant application."
Riganti was not made available for comment; Watson said she was handling questions about the fire station.
CONCERNED CITIZENS
Greg Pace, a University City resident and a civil engineer, said he became suspicious of the need for a new firehouse after hearing of the grant.
On a morning jog last spring, he made a detour to have a look at Station No. 1.
"The bays looked to be in immaculate shape," he said. "They were all nicely painted with reinforced concrete beams and floors.
"I also sighted down the side of the building. The course line (the mortar between the bricks) looked perfect, straight and true. There was no bowing in the walls. And the brick itself was in fine shape."
Pace then began seeking documents from the city that backed up Olshwanger's claims.
Pace said he found that two issues cited by Olshwanger — the roof and mold problems — had already been repaired.
The city spent $54,000 in 2005 fixing one section of roof and $151,000 repairing another section in 2007, and has spent $17,000 in the last two years removing old carpeting and cleaning air ducts to remove mold hazards.
Pace retired in 2003 after careers at Southwestern Bell and a startup electronics firm. He describes himself as a political independent and fiscal conservative.
"I'm frugal by nature; I squeeze a buck. But that's how I was able to retire at 46," he said.
Pace has received support from fellow resident Paulette Carr, who led the drive last year for a state audit of University City.
"If, indeed, our firehouse was structurally unsound, I'd have been out there waving flags and jumping on board to get a new one," Carr said. "But I don't want our city to be caught red-handed misrepresenting anything. If we're going to get a new firehouse, let's get it the right way."
On July 6, Pace sent an e-mail to FEMA officials detailing his concerns but has yet to receive a reply.
In response to questions from the Post-Dispatch, FEMA said in a statement that it had "no tolerance for fraud."
The statement added: "FEMA may cancel any award if it determines that the information on the application is false, and would notify the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General for further investigation."






