This facility received the Career 1 Notable award in the 2025 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here. 

Station 8 resolves decades of operational strain and failing infrastructure in one of the city’s busiest districts. Originally built in 1958 for a four-person, all-male crew, the old station no longer supported the demands of a modern, diverse department. It inadequately housed eight firefighters in an open dormitory, lacked proper carcinogen containment and sat atop a collapsing underground cistern. The new facility delivers a cutting-away from-home atmosphere, honors community character, optimizes emergency response, and prioritizes firefighter health and safety.

The firehouse was constructed on its original site to preserve emergency coverage in the neighborhood and to maintain access to the adjacent community park.

After demolishing the previous building, the site was remediated fully by filling the concrete cistern and installing a retaining wall to manage the significant grade change. The design team calibrated the finish floor elevation carefully to bridge a slope that’s between a high corner and the low point. The Station Design Awards judges appreciated the work that went into overcoming this challenge.

The firehouse’s exterior draws from the historic 1920s neighborhood. Its massing includes second floors within gable roofs and a brick façade that matches the nearby historic middle school. A hose tower serves as both a functional and ceremonial marker of the building’s public entrance and civic identity.

To improve turnout times, the design incorporates rapid vertical circulation through three fire poles and a double-sided stairwell, which connects second-floor sleeping quarters directly to the apparatus bays. Apparatus movement is streamlined with single-stacked bays and a dedicated exterior bypass lane, which allows units to return from a call and immediately respond to another without reentering the building. The bays intentionally were sited away from the nearby intersection to avoid potential delays that could be caused by traffic congestion.

A zoned layout separates high-hazard areas, such as the apparatus bay from living quarters, using airlocks to reduce exposure and prevent recontamination. Two dedicated decontamination bathrooms support an efficient personal decon process. A radon detection system addresses a serious regional health risk, given that Nebraska ranks third nationally for elevated residential radon levels.

The firehouse includes an ICC 500-compliant storm shelter, which is integrated into the facility’s bunker gear room.

The apparatus bays are fully air-conditioned to enhance firefighter comfort and to safeguard temperature-sensitive gear.

Anticipating future needs, the facility was designed with electric vehicle readiness in mind. It includes space for a future transformer and generator, with conduit preinstalled.

From the electrical room, depot boxes and charging cables can be routed directly to each bay, to enable modernization without disruption to operations.

Despite the complexity of building on a tight urban site, managing phased demolition and construction, and temporarily relocating crews, the project team successfully delivered a firehouse that meets current needs while anticipating future demands. Station 8 demonstrates how thoughtful design and long-range planning can transform a strained, outdated station into a high-performance asset.

Architect: BRW Architects