$1.6M expansion for Folly facility

Even though she is the municipal clerk of Folly Beach, Mary Cunningham has to perform her tasks in a hallway due to limited space.

"I get cramped when I'm doing my work," she said.

But Folly Beach is ready to remedy that problem by constructing a new, larger facility from the remnants of the old fire station at 21 Center St.

The project, estimated to cost $1.6 million, was started by Hill Construction in mid-April. "We might not get everything that we want, but we'll get everything that we need," said Folly Beach City Administrator Toni Connor-Rooks. She said that the main purpose was for public safety expansion.

"It fulfills a drastic need for us," said Folly Beach Public Safety Chief Terry Boatwright. He said that currently the room for council chambers is also used for the municipal courtroom, as well as training for public safety. Administrators and public safety officers all have to operate in the limited space at City Hall.

In the small squad room used by law enforcement, there are offices "no bigger than the walk-in closet I have at home," Boatwright said. He said that the new building will offer 4,000 sq. ft. of space over two floors and a mezzanine, compared to the present building's 900 sq. ft.

The first floor will provide sufficient space for storage and apparatus. The mezzanine floor will be quarters for firefighters working 24-hour shifts. "There will be bunk rooms, locker rooms and a kitchen for the firefighters," Boatwright said.

The top floor will house offices of public safety officials, evidence vaults reinforced with stainless steel and a training room that can quickly be converted to an emergency operations center if necessary.

All three sections will be made available to firefighters and law enforcement officers. Administration will be able to have all of the space available in the City Hall once public safety figures migrate out of the building.

The firetrucks and other public safety vehicles are temporarily located in tents. Construction of the new building is expected to be completed December 15. Boatwright said that given the new design of the building, it will have enough space for reasonable growth of staff for the next 20 years. "This benefits the entire city," he said.

With only five months left, Cunningham said she is so excited that she can't stand it. "I'll finally have an office with a door on it."