Construction is expected to begin soon on a Safe Room designed to protect Foley first responders during hurricanes and other emergencies after the City Council awarded the project contract to Roy Lewis Construction.

The company submitted the lowest bid among 11 bidders at $3.72 million, an amount city officials said came in well below projections. Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the lower-than-expected cost was a welcome surprise after years of planning.

“We, the architects and everybody thought it's going to be $5.7 million. “So this is really good news,” Hellmich said. “This has been a long time coming, We're really excited about it.”

City officials have worked with federal and state agencies since 2020 to secure funding for the project, which will be paid for largely through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Safe Room is designed to shelter more than 200 people during a hurricane and will be built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles an hour, a critical feature for a Gulf Coast community vulnerable to major storms.

Plans call for the facility to include a 400-kilowatt generator capable of operating on natural gas or diesel fuel, along with kitchen facilities and other resources needed to house personnel for extended periods during emergencies. In addition to serving as a shelter, the building can function as a command post if other city facilities are damaged during a storm or major event.

The Safe Room will be built on city-owned property on North Poplar Street, north of the Public Works campus currently under construction and south of East Berry Avenue. City leaders said the location provides proximity to existing municipal operations while remaining accessible during emergencies.