The second phase of renovations to Suffolk’s Fire Station 1 is expected to begin in the next two months, giving it additional security features and parking.

During the first phase of work to the fire station, which was completed in summer 2017, both floors of the three apparatus bay, 10,200-square foot facility were renovated at a cost of $2.85 million.

All of the work was initially designed to be done at that time, but when two properties at 210 and 214 Chestnut St. became available about a third of the way into phase one, the city adjusted the scope of work on the site, according to Gerry Jones, director of capital programs and buildings. The two additional properties add up to just over two-tenths of an acre, which, added to the existing fire station footprint, gives it 1.17 acres.

“The site work that was scheduled to happen in the first phase, we changed that out of the project and we redesigned the site work,” Jones said.

He said City Council approved the additional money for the work. While $500,000 has been budgeted for the phase two work, the accepted bid from Hudgins Contracting Corporation of Hampton came in at $449,113. The city received five bids ranging from the lowest bid from Hudgins Contracting to a high of $767,676.76.

Jones said reference checks have been completed on the low bidder and the city is in the process of executing a contract, which should take between 45 to 60 days. At that point, “we should have somebody mobilizing on site to start,” he said.

The additions in phase two include new on-site parking for staff and the public, as well as fencing with gates to make the staff lot more secure, additional security cameras and some minor landscaping. Jones said there have been issues over the years with staff members having their vehicles broken into at night while out on their runs. The fencing, he said, will be similar in look to what’s around City Hall and the police station.

“We’re trying to make it a safe environment for the firefighters,” Jones said.

The station’s staff will not have to relocate while the phase two work takes place, but they will have to use on-street parking or the public lot at the municipal center.

Jones expects the work to be completed within three and a half to four months.