This facility received a Career 1 Gold in the 2021 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here.
Lexington Fire Headquarters provides the modern amenities and the safety of a new building, with traditional aesthetics that reflect the station’s location in one of the country’s most recognizable historic districts.
The new building was constructed on the site of the town’s existing Fire and Rescue Headquarters, which was less than half of the size of the new station. With a tight urban site and minimal lay down space, careful consideration was given to phasing and logistics. The team coordinated re-routing of Camellia Place, which is a side road to the north of the building, to expand the width of the site and to provide additional parking.
The 26,000-square-foot facility features 10 apparatus bays (four double-deep bays and two EMS bays), with capacity for the department’s Antique American LaFrance engine. Training capabilities for the Town are greatly expanded, with a large training room, mezzanine and training tower.
Responder health, safety and comfort were paramount to the design. Air quality is maximized using 100 percent outside air units, MERV 13 filters, optimized carbon dioxide monitoring, and dilution. The station includes on-site decontamination and SCBA maintenance, filling and storage. Gender-neutral bunks and shower rooms support fluctuations in the department’s staff demographics. A generous dayroom provides opportunities for relaxation and socialization.
The design meets the town’s progressive sustainability guidelines; it’s highly efficient and resilient. The station uses an electric and solar thermal system, including the first full-electric radiant apparatus floor in the world. No fossil fuels are burned on-site, except via the backup hot water heater and kitchen range. Roof-top photovoltaics offset the building’s electrical use and are hidden from street view, keeping with historic district considerations. This LEED Gold equivalent building performs as designed, exceeding the ASHRAE 90.1 standard by 30 percent.
Architect/Firm Name: Tecton Architects & H2M architects + engineers
